Grigor Dimitrov overcame his mid-match frustration over the closure of the roof on Court 1 to beat Jakub Menšík in four sets at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.
The 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win helped the Bulgarian secure his place in the third round. However, the match was not without controversy, as Dimitrov spoke about his “déjà vu” from his match against Jannik Sinner from last year.
Grigor Dimitrov Angered by Roof Closure During Wimbledon Clash
After Dimitrov claimed the third set of his second-round match against Menšík, the retractable roof on Court 1 had to be closed as darkness approached, resulting in a lengthy delay. During the interruption, the 35-year-old expressed his frustration, comparing the situation to his Wimbledon clash against Sinner last year.
“We knew that we’re not going to finish the match. Just a question, why didn’t we start closing the roof during the set? Now it’s like a similar issue to last year. My point is that if you see that you know it’s not going to finish, it doesn’t harm both of the players to start closing the roof, right?” Dimitrov said to the umpire as the players were forced to pause during the closing of the roof.
Dimitrov further commented that his match against Sinner had to be stopped for 15 minutes so the roof could be closed, which completely disrupted his momentum. He later suffered a serious pectoral muscle injury, forcing him to retire at two sets up and in a commanding position.
“It’s like Déjà vu. From last year it was the same thing. When I was on Center, we knew it was not going to finish, and we kept on having the court open. I don’t think it’s fair for both players. I just feel you’re warm; everything is good. Now in 10 minutes we need to come back and hit some balls and start serving again at 124 mph,” he added.
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Sinner went on to win the Wimbledon title despite being on the verge of defeat against Dimitrov. The injury forced the Bulgarian to spend significant time on the sidelines, but he is now slowly regaining his form.
After receiving a wildcard for the main draw at Wimbledon, Dimitrov defeated Dane Sweeny in straight sets in the opening round before his win against Menšík. Next up for him is a third-round match against Matteo Berrettini. Both players have enjoyed impressive runs at Wimbledon over the years, and fans could be in for a captivating clash between them on Saturday.
