Grigor Dimitrov has once again proven his resilience and fighting spirit. Just 48 hours after the unexpected ending to his valiant fight against Jannik Sinner in the R16 of Wimbledon, he was seen refusing to let setbacks define him.

After that match against Sinner, the 34-year-old Bulgarian star made everyone wonder what might have happened if he hadn’t been forced to retire at 2-0 up in sets during the third set. Dimitrov was undoubtedly playing one of the best matches of his career against the former world number one in the R16 of the grass court major. He was dominating the match before suffering a serious pectoral muscle injury that forced him to retire, leaving the court with tears in his eyes. Dimitrov has now retired in ten major tournaments in his career, per ESPN, and guess what?

With that mid-match exit at Wimbledon, he has now failed to complete a match at five consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, the longest streak by a man in the Open Era. As a result of that injury, his run of 58 consecutive major appearances also came to an end as he was forced to withdraw from the US Open.

While addressing his fans following this injury scare, Dimitrov shared a post saying, “Sometimes the heart wants to keep going… but the universe has a different plan for us. Having to withdraw from this match at Wimbledon was one of the most painful moments of my career.” Following this post, his girlfriend, Eiza González, shared a heartfelt note saying, “Love of my life, I couldn't be more proud of you. You are BEYOND outstanding. This is just a moment that will pass and will make you even stronger. But watching you today, alongside the world, was a reminder of who YOU are. You're a winner. We all saw it. And you'll do it again (heart emoji). I love you, @grigordimitrov."

Recently, González shared a very interesting story about Dimitrov. She posted a video on her IG story where Grigor Dimitrov was seen running in the countryside with his shoulder heavily strapped in what seemed like a sling. In the captions, she wrote, “2 days after injury. Nothing stops him. Hardest worker I know. The most disciplined.”

It’s not the first time Dimitrov has had to claw his way back from adversity. Over the years, injuries have threatened to derail his progress, but the Bulgarian’s elegance on court has always been matched by his grit off it. His return to the tracks, two days after that setback, is just the latest chapter in a career defined as much by resilience as by style.

Trudging off the court in considerable pain 10 weeks ago, Dimitrov hasn’t been seen in competitive action since. But as per several reports, his return isn’t believed to be too far away, though. He could well be seen in action as early as the Shanghai Masters, which will get underway in a couple of weeks’ time. 

This post from González highlights two things: first being Grigor Dimitrov’s incredible willpower and dedication towards the post. Secondly, it also shows us how supportive she has been in Dimitrov’s journey through every thick and thin in the last few months.

Grigor Dimitrov and Eiza González’s blossoming chemistry steals the spotlight off-court

These two first sparked romance rumors in April this year when they were photographed spending time together in Madrid. Ever since then, time and again, Eiza González has been spotted showing her love and support towards the tennis star. For example, in March 2024, we saw her claim to InStyle that she had “sort of given up” on dating. But almost a year later, she labeled Grigor Dimitrov as “the man of my dreams.”

Then, while sending her wishes for Dimitrov’s 34th birthday, she wrote a heartfelt note where she mentioned, “You truly are my absolutely favorite human, and I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to find you. You’ve restored so much in me I didn’t think was possible. To the kindest, most thoughtful, and caring man. I admire every inch of the human you are and are becoming.”

During the French Open, she was even spotted cheering for her boyfriend from the stands. Following that unfortunate ending to the 2025 Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov was seen reflecting his love for his girlfriend as both of them were spotted spending some quality time on the tennis court. On Friday, August 15, González shared a few glimpses of him giving tennis lessons to her.

In the first picture, she was seen standing in front with a racket in her hand, while Dimitrov posed behind her in a navy blue T-shirt, white shorts, and a white cap. She captioned that post saying, “How do we think my tennis skills are?” Then, in another post, the tennis star was captured shirtless while he was teaching her how to bring perfection to her serves. This time, she captioned, “I’m hitting on my coach.” Overall, these moments tell us how she has been helping Dimitrov battle through all these tough phases in his career. Do you think the former world number 3 can get back to his vintage form on his return and finish the year on a higher note?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta