Rinse & Repeat: The Secret To Dimitrov’s Hot Wimbledon Form

Simplicity is working wonders for Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon this year.

The 32-year-old Bulgarian is adhering to a back-to-basics game plan devised by coaches Dani Vallverdu and Jamie Delgado. And he’s following the same daily routine at his team’s rented house in Wimbledon Village. That combination has kept Dimitrov focussed and calm amid the match scheduling chaos of week one brought on by frequent rain.

Here’s a typical day at the Dimitrov digs: Wake up at 7:30/8:00. Head to breakfast. Arrive at the club by 9:30/10:00. Practise. Play the match, head home to watch some of the other matches on TV.

“We go down to the cinema room, put the tennis on the big screen and everybody’s relaxing,” says Vallverdu. “Luckily this week we have a chef at home, so dinner is on the table at 7:30. Around 9:30 everyone’s in their own room. Every day looks the same. We’re trying to keep things as quiet and consistent as possible.”

Consistency – and clarity – has been even more important on the court. And it’s working!

Dimitrov has dropped more than three games in a set just twice in nine sets this week. On Sunday, he put the finishing touches on a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over 10th-seeded American Frances Tiafoe in a match that resumed early in the third set after being postponed due to rain on Saturday evening.

When Vallverdu reunited with Dimitrov this season, player and coach agreed to get on the same page with the game plan: Take control of points with his serve and forehand and use more slice on the backhand. And most important: Stick to the plan in good times and bad.

“There’s been an agreement within the whole team on what the game style should be to win or to lose, regardless whether he’s playing better on that day or worse, or what the other guy is doing,” Vallverdu said.

“It’s just sticking to it every single day and there was an agreement six months ago on what the game plan is. Jamie Delgado and myself have stuck with it and have made sure that Grigor is buying into it.

“With the clarity of the game plan he is slowly finding the game that he was playing in the past. Over the past few years, maybe he wasn’t as clear on what his game plan should be, to not only win matches more easily, but actually to have a better chance to beat the top guys.”

Dimitrov, who has not won a title since lifting the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals trophy and finishing the year No. 3 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, faces a generational test Monday against 20-year-old sixth seed Holger Rune for a place in the quarter-finals.

Dani Vallverdu and Grigor Dimitrov at Queen’s last month.

While Vallverdu and Delgado may have some specific guidance for the first-time meeting, Vallverdu says not to expect the underlying game plan to change.

“Ninety per cent is reinforcing what he has to do on his side of the court. With other players it is different, but with Grigor most of it is about his game and sticking to the basics of his game,” he said.

“He has two clear strengths, which are his serve and his forehand, so he should be utilising that as much as possible. We’ve been working on service accuracy and first-serve efficiency quite a lot over the last few months and also recognising the shots when he should take charge of the rally with his forehand.

“Thirdly is the variety on the backhand side. Using his slice gives him the variety that you don’t see so much these days and can make guys feel uncomfortable. If he focuses on those three things, then I think the game plan is pretty simple.”

At 32, Dimitrov is committed to doing whatever it takes to get the most out of his prodigious talent and hopefully an elusive Grand Slam trophy. That’s why he’s trusting the process, and trusting Vallverdu.

“I have always wanted to give my best every single time, but I felt I was at a point in my career where I really wanted to do something bigger,” Dimitrov said.

“Putting the whole team all together was very exciting to me. With Jamie, with Dani and everyone else helping in the best possible way, I think it’s the right fit and it’s very good and comfortable for the whole team.

“Even when I was navigating through the period without Dani we always kept in contact, we’re also close friends… So we kind of picked it up where we left off, so in a way it was a very smooth transition for all of us.”

Did You Know?
Dani Vallverdu is the coach representative on the ATP Player Advisory Council.