Grigor Dimitrov once again showed his class on grass. At the "Vanda Pharmaceuticals Mallorca Championships," the Bulgarian recorded his milestone 50th victory on this surface in an ATP calendar tournament, after defeating Marc Polmans 6-1, 7-6(3) on Tuesday to qualify for the second round.
The 35-year-old Dimitrov, currently playing as world No. 164, played a very solid match and impressed with his serve – according to official statistics, he won 96% of points on his first serve (26 out of 27 played), which proved key to his success. The victory is only his third at the ATP Tour level this season, but it comes at a time when the Bulgarian is looking for a fresh start after a difficult period with injuries.
"It's been a tough time, but I'm very happy right now," Dimitrov shared after the match. "I'm trying to lower my expectations, no matter what surface I'm playing on, but the first set today was a reminder that I'm still pretty good. It's a good step forward for me, but I don't want to think too much about what will happen in the coming rounds."
Mallorca is Grigor Dimitrov's first appearance in a top-level grass-court tournament since the drama at Wimbledon last year. Back then, the Bulgarian led world No. 1 Jannik Sinner by two sets in the fourth round but was forced to withdraw due to injury – his fifth consecutive Grand Slam tournament in which his participation ended prematurely.
Following the pectoral muscle injury sustained against Sinner, Dimitrov played only one more match in 2025 – in Paris in October. Before arriving in Mallorca this season, he had two wins in 10 matches at the ATP Tour level, and registered a more solid performance only at the Challenger tournament in Dublin, where he reached the quarterfinals.
Now, the former world No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings will face "lucky loser" Abdullah Shelbayh in an attempt to advance in the Mallorca tournament. In parallel, he already has good news for Wimbledon as well – the organizers have granted him a wildcard for the main draw next week.
For Grigor Dimitrov, the success in Mallorca is not just a statistical mark of 50 grass-court victories. It is a symbolic sign that after a series of injuries, missed opportunities, and a slide in the rankings, the Bulgarian still has something to show on his favorite surface – and he himself feels it: "today's first set was a reminder that I'm still pretty good."