Grigor Dimitrov secured his place in the Wimbledon third round on Thursday, defeating 15th seed Jakub Mensik in a match that evoked memories of a past injury-induced withdrawal. The Bulgarian wildcard experienced a sense of déjà vu as the roof began to close on Court One, a scenario reminiscent of his tearful exit 12 months prior when he was unable to complete a match against Jannik Sinner.
Dimitrov, once dubbed 'baby Fed' for his playing style resembling Roger Federer, was in strong form against Mensik, closing in on a four-set victory. The parallels to the previous year's Centre Court incident, where he was denied the chance to finish a potentially spectacular win, were not lost on him. "I looked up four or five times, hoping that I was going to finish the match before they decided to close the roof," Dimitrov said. "It was almost like deja vu, but all you can do is smile. What happened in the past stays there and I have to embrace what comes next, whether it is good or bad."
Despite the emotional resonance of the situation, there was no repeat of the heartbreak. The 35-year-old became visibly emotional following his 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-5 6-3 win, acknowledging the supportive crowd. "I'm very emotional and a little bit overwhelmed at the moment. All I wanted to do is just come out and fight, that was my goal. I didn't even think about winning or losing, I didn't even think about my body to that extent," he stated.
Dimitrov expressed his deep connection to Wimbledon, calling it "extra special" and emphasizing the difficult journey he has undertaken to return. "The atmosphere was just spectacular as always. I feel so loved and so supported everywhere in the world, but coming to Wimbledon is extra special for me and I want you guys to know that," he added. His victory sets up a third-round encounter with Italy's Matteo Berrettini. "It is all about conquering myself and playing tennis like I did today, regardless of the outcome."