Grigor Dimitrov has addressed the chances of him pulling out of the Laver Cup after suffering an injury scare during his opening match.
The world No. 10 beat Team World’s Alejandro Tabilo on Friday to give Europe a crucial point but immediately admitted: “The body has been struggling.”
Dimitrov wasn’t called up to play in any of Saturday’s matches. But he gave an injury update while cheering on the squad from the bench.
The Bulgarian stormed back from 1-5 down in the second set to defeat Tabilo 7-6(4) 7-6(2). But he appeared to be wincing while making his comeback in set two and told the crowd: “Let’s see. We’re going to reassess now.”
Team Europe has two alternates ready to step up and play if needed – Jan-Lennard Struff and Flavio Cobolli. But it looks like they won’t be needed.
“[I’m] feeling okay,” Dimitrov told Andrea Petkovic in a court-side interview on Saturday. “I mean, I’m here. Just doing a lot of treatment right now, that’s all I can do to look after it.”
Dimitrov is still hopeful that he can be back out on the iconic black court on Sunday – the final day of the Laver Cup, when every match win is worth three points. He added: “Hopefully I can step out tomorrow and bring more for the team.”
Explaining how he managed to beat his Team World rival while injured, the Bulgarian continued: “It was such an important point for us. Luckily it didn’t go to the super tiebreak.
“I was just playing one point at a time really and fought for everything that I had around the court. I was very happy. Honestly, I’m so happy to be out on the court.
“One of the few matches this year where I was just feeling extremely pleased to be back on the court. And I’m glad that the environment is also helping a lot.”
Dimitrov’s Laver Cup setback is one of several injury scares he has faced in recent weeks. He was forced to retire mid-match at the last two Grand Slam tournaments.
After forfeiting his US Open quarter-final, he explained: “ I think it’s a combination from everything. Clearly my rehab process is a little bit slower than before. I mean, I felt a couple of things in prior the match.”
