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Grigor Dimitrov continued his inspiring Wimbledon comeback with a hard fought victory over Jakub Mensik, but the match also brought back painful memories from the tournament a year earlier.
The Bulgarian star admitted he experienced a sense of déjà vu when officials decided to close the roof on Court One during his second round clash. Almost exactly 12 months ago, Dimitrov had been forced to retire injured against world number one Jannik Sinner while on the verge of one of the biggest wins of his career.
This time, however, the story had a happier ending.
Before play was briefly halted to close the roof, Dimitrov had produced some of his best tennis in years against Czech 15th seed Jakub Mensik. The 35 year old eventually secured a 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory to book his place in the third round, where he will face Matteo Berrettini.
Reflecting on the roof delay, Dimitrov admitted he kept glancing upward, hoping the match would finish before play was interrupted. The moment reminded him of last year's heartbreaking experience, but he said he has learned to leave the past behind and focus on whatever comes next.
Known early in his career as "Baby Fed" because of the similarities between his playing style and that of Roger Federer, Dimitrov became emotional after the win as he thanked the Wimbledon crowd for their unwavering support.
He said he felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere and explained that his main objective was simply to compete and fight for every point, rather than worrying about the final result. He described Wimbledon as a place where he always feels especially appreciated and admitted the journey back had been incredibly difficult.
Dimitrov has openly discussed the physical and emotional challenges that followed the torn right pectoral muscle he suffered last year. The injury forced him to retire against Sinner and sparked doubts about whether he could return to his previous level.
It marked his fifth consecutive Grand Slam retirement because of injury and sidelined him until October. He also missed the US Open, ending a streak of 58 straight Grand Slam appearances, before suffering early exits at the Australian Open and French Open this season.
After defeating Mensik, Dimitrov said this week has been his happiest in the past year. He added that only he truly understands the struggles he has overcome and is determined to appreciate every moment as he continues his remarkable return.
