Here’s the Grigor Dimitrov 2014 Wimbledon Interview Transcript following his quarterfinal win over Andy Murray
Q. Tell me if really in your mind you thought it was possible to happen this so easily, three sets to love of the champion of last Wimbledon?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, I wouldn’t call it easy. I think it was just a tense match if you think about it. Since the first ball we hit on that court, we were both ready to win.
But still I think I got early on in the match on top of him, and I think that really helped me, you know, progress in that way. I think second and third set was just a little different.
But, I mean, I can’t say much about the match because I came out to win the match. I was really positive. I was ready. I had a lot of patience no matter how many sets I was supposed to play.
But I was just composed and I was looking for every point that I had to play.
Q. So are you surprised or not?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No. Why would I have to be surprised? It’s a good feeling. I’m not going to hide that. It’s a great feeling. I’m proud of what I did.
But it’s something that I’ve worked for, to get onto that stage, come out, and switch to another gear. It’s a quarterfinal match, playing against the defending champion, against a gentleman like Andy. That adds a lot.
In the same time, it’s just another match for me. Yeah, I’m happy I’m through in three sets.
Q. In your TV interview after the match you mentioned you noticed Andy didn’t look quite right in the warmup. What did you notice?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think it’s just a feeling. I’ve practiced quite a few times with him. I know how he’s striking the ball when he’s at his best. I know how he’s playing when he’s not at his best.
I think it’s just a feeling that I had.
Q. Must have surprised you, because he hadn’t dropped a set before today.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: In a way that gave me, I would think, a bit of an advantage. He didn’t face I think any difficulties throughout his previous matches. I think it was kind of unknown for him, the pressure, you know, coming into those first sets.
I knew I had that under the belt. And, as I said, it wasn’t an easy match for both of us. As soon as we hit the first ball on the court I felt something was just a little different. I just had to go with the flow.
Q. Did you specifically notice anything about his game that wasn’t working? If so, what was it? Forehand? Backhand?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Honestly, I was just focused on my game, on what I had to do. I don’t like to think of what my opponent’s going to bring to the table. It’s just what I have to offer.
Obviously it’s two players, and one always is going to have the questions and you got to have the answers.
Today, early on in the match I had kind of a few sloppy points early on. That was a big key for me, saving a breakpoint especially in that first game. After that I think it was just a bit more relaxed. I think my game expanded with each point I played.
Q. You sit here super calm; it’s just another match. But you’re in a Wimbledon semifinal; you’ve just beaten the defending champion. You must be incredibly excited.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I am. I am. Maybe I’m not showing it, but the tournament continues for me. I just need to be as composed as possible, as humble as possible. It’s just a good stage for me to be in.
I’m happy to be on that semifinal. Hopefully there’s two more to go for me.
Q. Early in the tournament when you were asked about the big four, you said you thought it was just around the corner when the young guys would be breaking through and winning majors. With what’s happened yesterday with Rafa and today with Andy, what are your thoughts on that timetable and about the young guys breaking through?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Oh, as I said, it was around the corner. I didn’t know it was that around the corner.
But, yeah, I mean, what can I say? We want to win. I mean, I think the younger guys, we want to come on that stage. We strive for this. I think we’re thirsty for that. We want to prove ourselves. We also want to prove to the big guys that we’re around the corner, as I mentioned.
But, again, it’s just a different stage for us at that point. But we need to establish ourselves I think even better, just what we’re doing right now. It’s a good effort, but you got to do that almost every single tournament you play on.
This is where it shows. If you’re sustainable to get out those top four guys and eventually put yourself in that position.
Q. You used the term ‘focus.’ How is that different today than any other match considering the importance and how you did it against the defending champ? Was it extra special today?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I think in those moments you are ready to face what you have to face. I think early in the tournament you always have a little extra tension and you know that anything can happen.
But I think as soon as you get into that phase of that second week, you know, your dimension, your vision is changing a little bit.
I felt that I’ve raised my level a little bit on and off the court. Off the court is my focus. My ability to switch when I really have to go another gear. And today I knew I was ready to play.
So to me, in my mind, I was really calm and I knew what I had to do. I think I was composed and as calm as possible on the court. The good thing is I played a match already on the Centre Court, so that gave me an extra edge.
But, you know, there’s nothing extraordinary, if I may say so.
Q. During the match Andy was overheard complaining about something that should have apparently happened five minutes before. Are you aware of anything that happened five minutes before?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: The match?
Q. Were you brought on quickly perhaps after the women’s game?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I have no idea. Sorry.
Q. Talking about young guys or girls going far in the competition, Maria Sharapova won 10 years ago when she was 17. What kind of tips are you getting from her?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, tips? She says, Win it (smiling). What can I say? I think that’s a good tip.
Q. Are you talking about this?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I mean, off the court I really don’t like to talk about tennis – much about tennis. I don’t know what to answer, honestly.
Q. What did you say to Andy at the net at the end of the match?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Just that it was a good game, it was a good game. Probably it’s unfortunate for him. It’s his home tournament on that court. But it was a match. It had to be only one winner.
Q. You seemed to look up to the sky at the end of the match and blow a kiss of some sort. Was that my imagination or was it significant?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Blowing kisses left, right, and center right now. I was just thankful I think for today.
After the match, I kind of had those good memories I think from my junior years when I was playing on those outside courts. After every match, you know, I was so excited that I was going in the tournament. I think today was one of those days, it’s as if like a dream came true for me. You know, I just appreciated.
Q. When I came here, Djokovic was up one break in the fifth. You may have to play him. If at the beginning of this tournament they would have told you for you it’s better to play a player like Murray or Djokovic, what is the difference?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: You mean if I should face one in quarters or semis?
Q. In general, on grass, what is the player that you would of feared more?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Feared?
Q. No feared. Okay, don’t say ‘feared.’ I know you don’t fear anyone.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, first of all, fear is out of the picture. Of course in a way it doesn’t really matter because you have to go through both of them, for example.
Andy has one game and Novak has a different game. If I had to put them in order, I’d rather do it the way I’m doing it right now. That’s a good thing.
But I have a day off tomorrow. I need to just go again through my routines, go through just the regular day for me. Then I got to sort of sit down at night and see the tactics to whoever I got to play.
I never measured who I want to play first or whoever. I just focus on the opponent that I have ahead.
Q. Can you elaborate on the challenge in facing Novak? What are the specifics about his game that are of greatest concern and what do you need to do to win a match against Novak?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: We all know how Novak is competing and how he’s playing when he’s at his top level. I’m of course not expecting an easy match.
But I’m out there to go through a match, to win it. Again, I’m always going to focus on my game, whoever I’m going to play.
Now it’s a semifinal match. I think we both going to really want that match. Of course, he has the experience and all that behind him. But in the same time, I’ve been playing great tennis. I believe in my skills at the moment.
I mean, whoever I’m facing in the next match, I know it’s going to be a battle. I just got to be really, really composed. Really composed. Do the regular things that I’m doing.
Q. What about the style of play? How would you contrast his versus yours?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think we’re both pretty aggressive players when we need to be. I mean, obviously defending skills are almost at the same level.
I think in a way it’s going to be a bit of a tricky match, whoever I’m facing. We still don’t know. If it’s Novak, for example, I got to use every single mistake that he does. You know that you’re not getting freebies against him.
Q. Was Maria on court watching you today? Assuming you go to the final, will she be hanging around to support you all the way?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I’m sure she would show up for the final. I don’t know if she was on court today.
Q. Did you see Kyrgios at all yesterday?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I saw the last, yeah, couple of games of the match.
Q. Talk about the transition that one has to go through when you’re young and you’re arriving and you can play a bit more free.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: That’s the best feeling, I can tell you that much. Obviously that was a big win for him. He’s a pretty exciting player to watch. Obviously he’s got a lot of skills and talent.
I mean, I just know the feeling when you’re upcoming and you have nothing to wear on your shoulders. You kind of swing freely. But there’s going to be good challenges in the future. I’m sure I’m going to have to face him in the upcoming months.
But on the other hand it was a tough match from Rafa. I didn’t see much of the match, honestly, so I can’t comment much.
Q. But the transition you have to make to where you are now…
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I always thought the transition from juniors to seniors is one of the toughest things to do. Some people does it kind of fast. There’s people that just take a longer way.
