Grigor Dimitrov opens up on mental health battle and makes shocking revelations
10/20/2024 03:23 PM
Grigor Dimitrov has opened up on his battle with mental health issues, as he admitted he has come close to quitting tennis on three separate occasions.
The world No 10 lost 6-4, 6-3 against Tommy Paul in the Nordic Open Final in Stockholm, but it was his interview with Spilxperten that may be the biggest story of the week in that event, as he gave candid answers to questions.
When asked if he had ever had battles with mental health issues, the experienced and popular Bulgarian players gave this response.
“It would be a lie if I say that I never had it,” he began.
“I had severe moments of anxiety, panic attacks, even throughout the tennis match. Of course, I think it always helps when you can talk to people and share, even if it’s another tennis player.
“I always say we all should be more open to each other. I know it’s difficult. I know it’s a very individual sport. I know it’s brutal, but in the end of the day, we’re all human and no different than anyone else. It just happens that we play good tennis, that’s all.
“I've gone through a lot of very big moments, defining moments in my life as a man. And if I sit here and tell you the things that I've been through, you'll be like, wow, you still played or wow, you went through it? How did you do it?
“You know, everyone has their own path. You need to listen to your own voice within yourself because that's very important. Of course, tennis is also important, but with experience, not just on the court but off the court, you start to realize the importance of that.”
Dimitrov went on to suggest he has been close to calling time on his tennis career when he was at his lowest moments.
“We all want to look good from the outside, but the most important work is from inside out,” he continued.
“I think I've been trying to focus on that a lot, but I'm still struggling with it.
“Even where I'm at in my career, through the experiences I've had off the court, the heartbreaks, and the moments where I felt like the whole world was crumbling in front of me.
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“The matches I've lost, judging myself for losing a match, playing the victim—those things are inevitable, they're gonna come. But it's how you harness them, how you address them. You have to walk with them, and that's what I've done in very big moments in my life.
“Take 2019, when I entered the US Open being ranked No 82 in the world. That same year, I ended up being third in the world. Three times, I was about to retire from tennis. It's difficult.
“You may wake up feeling like crap. What do you do? You try, you go on with it, you put one foot in front of the other. If you win, great. If you lose, you take it on the chin and move on. There's no other way.
“What if a doctor wakes up in the morning and says, “I'm not going to do surgery”? He needs to save someone's life. It's more or less the same. The best part of what we do is that we have a choice. So you need to choose what's important to you on that day.”
He continued to open up on his issues and suggested the pain he had lived through his common for many elite sports stars.
“I think a lot of athletes around the world are slowly starting to express themselves, which is lovely to seem” he continued.
“I’ve seen quite a few guys in the NBA speak openly about mental health. We don't speak enough about it. I totally understand I'm talking from my side, like men in general. We don't speak about it often, but I think we should.
“It’s not a weakness. I think it's totally the opposite. I think showing vulnerability is a huge strength, an absolute huge strength. You sit on your own ground. As a man, I'm very proud of that.”
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