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Grigor Dimitrov, the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion, decided towards the end of 2018 to make an addition to his team to perhaps spark an eventual return to the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings. The Bulgarian hired former World No. 1 Andre Agassi as a new coach alongside Daniel Vallverdu.
After Agassi flew to Paris to help Dimitrov at the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the year, the pair retreated with Vallverdu to Agassi’s hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, where they prepared for 2019.
“We spent quality weeks, about three, three and a half weeks all together. It’s great to see that everybody is on the same page right now,” Dimitrov told ATPTour.com in Brisbane. “We see tennis, we see the game, we see sort of the whole big picture the same way. So that makes it more exciting now, and hopefully we have great success together.”
Dimitrov is not the only one excited about his partnership with Agassi. Patrick McEnroe, a 16-time tour-level doubles titlist and ESPN analyst, says that all-time great baseliner Agassi could make a real impact on the former World No. 3’s game. Agassi was known for maintaining his ground on the baseline, taking the ball early and pushing opponents around the court with his dictating style of play.
“I love to see Andre Agassi back in the mix. If he can get, what he would probably call himself, shot discipline, shot tolerance into the game of Grigor Dimitrov, that would be a huge positive because Grigor, in my mind, just has way too many options and has never really figured out how to just play meat and potatoes tennis, which is what Agassi did at his best in his prime, in his later years,” McEnroe said on a conference call. “Will Dimitrov ever be able to play exactly that style? Of course not. If Andre can get a little bit of that into his game, his mentality, that could absolutely help him.”
Chris Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam titlist, added to McEnroe’s sentiments by saying that the 20th seed at the Australian Open can benefit in more than just technique and on-court strategy from his time with Agassi.
“I think he can help Dimitrov tremendously with the mental side of the game,” Evert said. “Echoing the discipline that Agassi had, also the wisdom that he has, the training. When I think of Agassi, I picture him running up hills with sandbags on his back with [trainer] Gil Reyes [in Las Vegas]. I think he can up the intensity of the discipline and training. And Dimitrov is very respectful of former champions. I feel like he will be more motivated with Andre.”
Evert appears to be spot on with that, as Dimitrov arrived in Australia excited for what is ahead. It was as if his tough off-season work with Agassi and Vallverdu gave him a boost in every way heading into the new year. What was the experience like?
“Priceless. Nothing can put a price on that,” Dimitrov said. “We spent a crazy amount of time together, and it’s not just about the tennis, after all. The friendship and everything that we managed to build in such a time was beautiful for us.”
Dimitrov hopes that said beauty will translate into resultsreadfullarticle
