"I no longer care as much about everything that goes on in my sport" - Seismic shift at top of ATP Tour leaves Grigor Dimitrov nostalgic as tennis interest wanes

Sunday, 20 September 2026 at 11:00

Grigor Dimtrov at Wimbledon Centre Court.

Grigor Dimitrov's career has spanned a long time. He has gone toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the world, including the 'Big Three.' While many competitors were glad to see the back of the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, that feeling was the complete opposite for Dimitrov, who has started to lose interest in tennis.

Having reached a career high of World No.3, Dimitrov reached three Grand Slam semi-finals between 2014 and 2019 while also winning the 2017 ATP Finals. He was one of the top players trying to make that next step into the elite.

Nevertheless, like so many, his pathway was heavily restricted by Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic. Even when their careers were dwindling to an end, they were big threats on the big stage. It was a special period for ATP tennis with fans and even players marvelling at the talent on display.

Dimitrov was one of them, still nostalgic of the past. The 35-year-old is getting to the end of his career with injury problems proving to be detrimental, seeing him fall down the order, and he has not been able to recover.

Now back competing for Bulgaria in the Davis Cup against Denmark, Dimitrov spoke to Spilxperten.com in an interview discussing the gaping whole left by a prior generation.

"I don't even know the majority of players who are still active"

There are now new talents emerging onto the scene, dominating the ATP Tour. While Djokovic is still around, you have Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev at the top of the pecking order at this current point in time.

This has not grasped Dimitrov's attention, with him starting to lose interest in following the sport. "I have to be honest. For a few years now, I have been very far removed from everything that happens on the ATP tour," he admitted.

Novak Djokovic shakes hands with Grigor Dimitrov.

Grigor Dimitrov competed with some of the best players to ever grace the court

"I continue to play, but I no longer care as much about everything that goes on in my sport, and I am no longer really informed."

Still fully committed to the sport in a playing sense, Dimitrov does not know a lot of the players he competes against these days. "My whole life has always revolved around tennis, and it makes me a little sad to see that I don't even know the majority of players who are still active."

He spoke of their great influence on the sport. "Age may just be a number, but in our sport, it has a great influence. It's not just about what happens on the court, but also the interactions with others at tournaments."

He is not the only one to have felt the retirement of Federer and Nadal. "A part of me left tennis when Federer and Nadal retired. I know Novak feels the same way, because I talked to him about it. We reminded ourselves how exciting that era was, with all those challenges we had to overcome constantly.

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"Having to face the three best players of all time almost every week was an incredible feeling. Today, it's impossible for me to experience something similar."

He was careful not to disrespect the current top players on the tour. "I don't want to offend any player today, but the Big 3 era will always remain, for me, the greatest challenge a tennis player could face."

Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist

Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.

Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.

He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.

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