John McEnroe says Wimbledon should be applauded for key decision they’ve made this year
Wimbledon has thrown up a number of surprises this year, in both the men and women’s draw.
The women’s draw is confirmed to have a brand-new champion, with the likes of Naomi Osaka, Jasmine Paolini, and Jessica Pegula all vying to become the champion for the first time.
In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner remain the firm friends, but there have been some heartwarming stories elsewhere at SW19.
Arthur Fery has propped up British tennis by reaching the fourth round, but his opponent at that stage, Grigor Dimitrov, has also impressed fans with his performances.
The star is looking to prove a point at the London event, after an injury forced him to withdraw while two sets up against Jannik Sinner in last year’s fourth round.
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Speaking ahead of Dimitrov’s fourth round meeting with Fery, John McEnroe applauded Wimbledon’s decision to give the Bulgarian star a wildcard.
Speaking on the BBC, the multi-time Grand Slam champion said: “First of all I want to thank the All England Club for giving him a wildcard because after what happened last year. Arguably the best match he’d ever played when he played Sinner and then he tore the pec. It’s been a total nightmare.
“His ranking’s down there, not because he’s not a quality player. He’s a former number three in the world. He beat Jamie’s brother the year after Andy won it. This guy is very accomplished. He’s got a great slice. He’s got a bigger game than you realise. He moves really well.
“He’s got a lot of flexibility. His problem has been staying healthy. It’s a dubious record getting defaulted in Grand Slams – I think it’s 10! He doesn’t want that to keep happening.”
Dimitrov has defeated Dane Sweeny, Jakub Mensik, and Matteo Berrettini to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon again, but he has already dropped three sets in his first three matches..
He is beating players ranked far higher than him and, as a result, the Bulgarian star is back inside the top 150 of the ATP Tour rankings after a difficult year suffering from a myriad of injuries.
He currently sits at World No 144 in the ATP Tour rankings, but he will surely continue to soar up the rankings if he performs as he has at Wimbledon this year.
Prior to his appearance at Wimbledon, Dimitrov held a 4-9 record during his first six months of the ATP Tour season. That means if he beats Fery in his fourth round match, he would have won as many matches at Wimbledon as he has all year.
