The lights at the La Défense Arena were just beginning to burn brighter for Grigor Dimitrov. After a stretch of inspired tennis and a return that tennis romantics had waited months to witness, the Bulgarian maestro’s Paris Masters campaign suddenly stopped—not with a dramatic point, not with a roar from the crowd, but with a quiet announcement hours before he was set to face former champion Daniil Medvedev in a nail-biting R32 clash.

Just days earlier, Dimitrov walked back onto a Masters 1000 court carrying more than just his racket. He carried expectation. Emotion. Renewal. This wasn’t simply another comeback (after a three-month gap)—this was the return of a player who had spent the better part of the year sidelined, reflecting, healing, and rediscovering the love for his craft. After his 7-6(5), 6-1 win against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Dimitrov admitted, “I didn’t know what to expect, if I have to be completely honest.” He knew entering into a competition won’t be easy, and all he wanted was to come out and test himself and give himself a chance against tough opponents.

And, boy oh boy! He did it quite amazingly. Other than the singles match, he had also taken part in the doubles alongside the Frenchman Nicolas Mahut. But they lost against Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the R32. Just hours after that match, the tournament organizers made an announcement on social media saying, Grigor Dimitrov has pulled out from the singles draw. Following that announcement, Dimitrov has now shared a post on his IG stories. He wrote, “It's been a successful week in Paris, and I'm proud to be able to assess my condition and to prove that my efforts and those of my team are in the right direction. After performing competitively for some days, I felt confident it was the right time to stop.”

But having said that, the former world number 3 further added, “Excited for the challenges and opportunities 2026 will bring. Thank you all for the warm welcome back, love and smiles!” Dimitrov’s withdrawal means that his 2025 season is now likely over, as he hasn’t entered into next week’s ATP 250 events in Metz and Athens, and also he failed to qualify for the ATP Finals this year.

With his withdrawal from the R32 match against Daniil Medvedev, the Russian star has now set up a clash against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the next round. Perhaps that shoulder injury could be the reason behind his precautionary decision to cut short his stay at La Défense Arena. Who knows?

But nevertheless, it has been a season filled with ups and downs for the world number 38. Dimitrov had a win-loss record of 17-11 this season, and his best records were reaching the SFs at the Brisbane International and the Miami Open. Now, since the season is already over for the Bulgarian, it’ll be interesting to see how well he performs next year. What are his goals for the next season, though?

Grigor Dimitrov reveals his goals for the 2026 season

2025 didn’t give Dimitrov the ending he wanted, but 2026 might give him the chapter he’s been waiting for. Seasons don’t always end with trophies or tears. Sometimes, they end with a question and the courage to chase answers. For him, 2025 closed not with a fairy tale finish, but with a pause, a breath, and a look toward the horizon he still believes he can conquer.

Talking about his goals for the 2026 season, Dimitrov revealed, “I’m just going one day at a time right now. There’s no point for me to set any goals right now. My goal is still next year to come back and make sure that I play the whole season properly and stay healthy. That’s actually my goal right now. So, any given day that I’m out there on the court, whether it’s practice or a match, being able to go through it, that’s a success already.” 

Grigor Dimitrov’s statement reminds us of a similar line from British star Emma Raducanu. She said a similar thing last year. Raducanu said that her definition of success has now changed, and it’s more about “staying healthy in the long run” after the injury nightmare, which derailed her campaign for quite a significant time in 2023.

Now, why, out of nowhere, did Raducanu’s statement pop out of my mind, right? The simple answer to this question is that Dimitrov has now added some new faces to his coaching team, and guess who’s on that list?

Both Grant Chen and Yutaka Nakamura were spotted in Grigor Dimitrov’s box during his match against Perricard at the Paris Masters. For those unaware, Nakamura is a renowned fitness trainer and strength and conditioning coach. He has worked with the likes of Maria Sharapova, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, and many others. Before this stint, he was even working with Raducanu. The Brit hired him in December 2024, and he was there with her for most of the early part of the 2025 season before stepping down from the role.

Chen is the head coach for the men’s tennis team at Southern Methodist University in Texas. He also has vast experience in this field. Seeing all these recent inclusions to his team, Colin Fleming, a former pro who was commentating on Sky Sports, said, “I think having those sorts of people in his box says to me that Dimitrov still has serious ambitions in the sport.”

So, the intentions are pretty clear from Grigor Dimitrov, but can he deliver in 2026? Time will tell! But what are your thoughts on this, though?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta