Dimitrov ‘back in love’ with sport

NEW YORK: Grigor Dimitrov was once in danger of spending his career either struggling to live up to being dubbed the “new Federer” or being known as the boyfriend of Maria Sharapova.

But with Federer sidelined from the US Open and with Dimitrov and Sharapova no longer the sport’s golden couple, the 25-year-old Bulgarian is enjoying having the spotlight lifted from him.

“I think a lot has changed over the past year and a half for me. I fell in love with tennis again. It’s simple as that,” said Dimitrov, a former world number eight, now down at 24 in the rankings.

A 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win over Portugal’s Joao Sousa on Saturday gave him a place in the second week of a Slam for the first time this year.

“I have started to enjoy the process again. I’m enjoying the work again. I’m enjoying waking up in the morning early to come to practice. I’m enjoying doing the ice baths again. I’m enjoying pretty much everything that I do,” he said.

“You don’t think of anything else. I started to enjoy those butterflies before a match, complaining to your coach that you’re, like, short of breath because you’re so nervous to come on court.”