![\"Grigor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dimitrov-nalbandian-acapulco-2026-preview.jpg\")
<\/p>\n Player Features
\n Dimitrov on Nalbandian addition: ‘It happened so naturally’<\/p>\n
Bulgarian discusses new coaches & previews Acapulco run<\/p>\n
February 23, 2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mextenis \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
Grigor Dimitrov has hired former World No. 3 David Nalbandian as a new coach.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n
Fresh coaching firepower surrounds Grigor Dimitrov<\/a> while he prepares for the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and 11-time tour-level champion David Nalbandian<\/a> has recently joined the Bulgarian\u2019s camp, adding further experience to a team that already welcomed former Top 20 player Xavier Malisse<\/a> at the start of the season. For Dimitrov, the early signs have been encouraging as he works to rediscover his top level.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew them separately, and it also helps when you\u2019ve played against them a few times,\u201d Dimitrov said in an ATP Media interview ahead of his run in Acapulco. \u201cIt\u2019s nice when you can relate to someone that you have played. They have been retired for over 10 years, but it\u2019s also not that long ago.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the beginning, when I got into conversations with them, we really started to see things similarly and I could relate to them in terms of the timing of their careers, injuries, game plan, thoughts, and all of that. In a way, it happened so naturally. Right now, we are still finding our footing, because it\u2019s very new for all of us, but things are very clear of what needs to be done and how we want to tackle the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Dimitrov owns a 2-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Malisse and lost his lone meeting with Nalbandian at Queen\u2019s Club in 2012. More than a decade on, former rivals are now united in pursuit of a shared goal.<\/p>\n The reset follows a frustrating 2025 campaign, during which Dimitrov was forced to retire due to a sudden pectoral injury while leading Jannik Sinner<\/a> by two sets at Wimbledon<\/a>. It was a setback that limited him to just one further appearance before turning his focus to the new season.<\/p>\n With one win from his first three matches this year, the 34-year-old hopes a return to Acapulco \u2014 where he lifted the trophy on his debut in 2014 \u2014 can reignite his momentum.<\/p>\n \u201cI came earlier. I just wanted to make sure I step on the court a few extra hours,\u201d said Dimitrov, who opens against Terence Atmane<\/a> on Wednesday at the ATP 500. \u201cThe past months have been a little bumpy. I haven\u2019t been able to practise as much as I would like nor was I able to get more matches.\u201d<\/p>\n That 2014 run, in which he beat Andy Murray<\/a> in an epic three-set semi-final, remains a cherished memory, yet Dimitrov is focused firmly on the present.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always going to hold on to great memories,\u201d said Dimitrov when asked about that run. \u201cEvery time we step into the same tournament, it\u2019s the same tournament, but it\u2019s a new year. I\u2019m always trying to build off that new habit, whatever the new preparation looks like.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always trying to understand myself. Hopefully I\u2019m able to really implement them and make sure that I am feeling good about it when I step on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n The pectoral injury, which kept him out for three months between Wimbledon<\/a> and Paris also offered a period of reflection. As he targets a return to the form that he used to win the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals<\/a> crown, Dimitrov recognises the internal adjustments required.<\/p>\n \u201cI had to change things up, whether I liked it or not,\u201d Dimitrov said of his injury. \u201cIt was more of the work that I had to do for myself, more from a mental point of view. I had to change a lot of things and that played a little mind game with me. It\u2019s normal, though, and I\u2019m trying to find the silver lining. I\u2019d never really been injured or experienced being away from the sport for that long, so it was extremely new.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Player Features Dimitrov on Nalbandian addition: ‘It happened so naturally’ Bulgarian discusses new coaches & previews Acapulco run…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":494920,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[442],"tags":[49,48,82,593],"class_list":["post-494919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tennis","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports","tag-tennis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=494919"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494919\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/494920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=494919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=494919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=494919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\u201cATP\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/atp-no-1-club-banner-article.jpg\")
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