Grigor Dimitrov confident of playing another 6 to 8 years on tour, says coach
Grigor Dimitrov's coach, Daniel Vallverdu, has stated that the Bulgarian is confident about playing another eight years on tour.
Dimitrov made his ATP debut in 2008. Even after a prolonged 15 years on tour that saw him bag eight titles, including a Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati, the 31-year-old's career is still far from over.
In a recent interview with Punto de Break, Vallverdu claimed that his apprentice expressed optimism about lasting for another six to eight years on tour.
"He was commenting the other day, that he saw himself playing for another 6-8 years," Vallverdu said.
Vallverdu feels that Dimitrov can materialize his goal as long as he remains motivated, adding that he is physically and mentally capable of doing so.
"Physically and mentally, Grigor should be ready to play as many years as he wants, as long as he stays motivated," he opined. "He is physically privileged, I see him in a good situation to play for many years to come."
Dimitrov parted ways with Vallverdu after a three-year stint in 2019. However, the duo partnered again at the end of last year.
"Now I know him much better, it's a different relationship because we didn't start from scratch," Vallverdu said. "We started three months ago, I'm trying to help him find that consistency again, although there is still a lot of work to do."
"The goal is to find consistency in the results and try to win tournaments again," he added.
Grigor Dimitrov's lack of consistency in recent times has been a major concern. The Bulgarian has frequently fallen in the opening rounds of tournaments this year. He is currently 9-7 for the season, with a win percentage of just 56%.
In Grigor Dimitrov's case, being older is a positive thing, says coach
Vallverdu feels that being older is an advantage for the Belarusian, given the immense experience that has translated into valuable knowledge.
"In Grigor's case, being older is a positive thing, many years on tour translates into a lot of knowledge, he knows what works and what doesn't," the Venezuelan coach opined.
Vallverdu observed that Dimitrov is not experiencing any age-related ailments as of now.
"Physically and mentally he is very well, although once you turn 30, this can change from one day to the next. Luckily he doesn't have any physical problems and I see him motivated up front," he said. "If we continue in this line of work, I'm sure he'll go further in tournaments."
Grigor Dimitrov most recently played at the Barcelona Open, where he beat Emilio Gomez in the first round before withdrawing from the following match against Alex de Minaur citing illness.