"My mom always used to say before being a great champion is be a great person" - Grigor Dimitrov on the 'pressure' he faces as a tennis player

Grigor Dimitrov had one of the best weeks of his career as a tennis player at the recently concluded Miami Open, reaching the final of the Masters 1000 tournament. Although the Bulgarian fell to Jannik Sinner in the final, it was a productive outing for him, as he secured his return into the top 10 of the ATP rankings thanks to his run at the event.

Speaking at his press conference after the 3-6, 1-6 loss to Sinner, Dimitrov opened up about the pressure he faces as a tennis player, stating that for him, it was all about consistency. Dimitrov asserted that it was something he focussed on during this comeback of his, becoming his own critic as well as a teacher to get the best out of himself.

"I think for me it's about being consistent. For example, that's the one thing that I have been really focused on, how I'm going to prepare, how I'm going to put myself in the best situation to get out there and play my best, but along the way enjoy. Because also, you're your own critic, you're your own best friend, and you're your own, you know, teacher at times for things," Grigor Dimitrov said.

"I, for one, also want to thank myself for the work that I have been putting in, for the discipline, for the hard hours that I have been, doing for the heartaches, for the pain, for everything that we're going through behind the scenes," he added.

The 32-year-old felt that it was important for him to acknowledge the hard work he has put in behind the scenes in addition to the heartaches he has experienced along the way, as he believes it made him a better person.

Grigor Dimitrov recalled how his mother used to tell him that being a great person was more vital than simply being a great champion, an axiom he has never let himself forget over the years. As a result, the former World No. 3 is, in a way, immune to the material pressures of the tennis world such as trophies, instead choosing to follow his path and run his race.

"You need to also acknowledge those things. You need to embrace them as well. You need to cherish them. I also think those things are making you a better person. My mom always used to say before being a great champion is be a great person. This is the thing I have always focused on since I was a kid," Grigor Dimitrov said.

"I think at some point all the trophies and all that, it kind of paled in comparison to what else is. I think at the moment, all of us that we're playing tennis out there, living our dream. So it's a little window of our life, and I think after that it's going to be different. That's why I feel like right now I'm in a very interesting path. That's what I'm saying, I'm running my own race," he added.

"I think each player has his own goals, targets, long-term goals, short-term goals" - Grigor Dimitrov

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Grigor Dimitrov believes that every player has to deal with their own kinds of pressure, as they will be having their own goals at the end of the day.

The Bulgarian emphasized that every player has an idea of what it means for them to compete and play at certain tournaments, which in turn affects how they go about their lives during that period.

"I think each one is very different. I really don't know how to answer that too well. More on that, I think it's just I think each player has his own goals, targets, long-term goals, short-term goals. I think each player tries to find their own way to feel ready to compete," Grigor Dimitrov continued in his press conference.

"It's just simple as that and then what it actually means to you, what it means to you to compete, what it means to play at certain tournaments, what are certain wins means to you. So it's very personal," he added.