![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/scorecards-dimitrov-2025.jpg\")
<\/p>\n ATP Tour
\n A lifetime of net-rushing opponents all adds up to Dimitrov being the ‘Pass Master’<\/p>\n
Bulgarian won 40.6 per cent of points when opponent was at net in 2025<\/p>\n
January 20, 2026<\/p>\n
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Getty Images\/ATP Tour<\/p>\n
By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n
When opponents dared to move forward in 2025, Grigor Dimitrov<\/a> made them suffer. The Bulgarian led the ATP Tour by winning 40.6 per cent of points when his opponent was at the net, a remarkable return rate that earned him a fitting label: the pass master.<\/p>\n That number speaks directly to Dimitrov\u2019s artistry. Armed with one of the game\u2019s most elegant one-handed backhands, he repeatedly carved out impossible angles, dipping the ball at an opponent\u2019s feet or threading it past outstretched volleys.<\/p>\n Dimitrov believes that success is rooted in years of experience dealing with aggressive opponents from a young age, having learned early how to neutralise players who rushed the net.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was a junior, I was always playing against the older guys and [those] taller than me,\u201d Dimitrov explained. \u201cI was not that tall when I was younger, and a lot of them were coming to the net a lot, especially some of the American players when I played as they were always playing serve and volley or attacking me.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I always liked to have targets. I loved when some of it was coming through because I was fairly agile to move around the court and [could] predict some of the shots in advance, knowing where I’m going to position the ball in order to get [an easier] next ball coming back at me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t just about touch, either. Dimitrov stayed composed in high-pressure moments, trusting his timing and feel to find passing lanes when the court seemed closed off. In a sport where net-rushers often expect reward, he turned their aggression into opportunity. But how does he decide whether to hit an attempted winner or a shot intended to set up an easier pass on the next ball coming back?<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s very difficult to know what you’re going to do, because you just don’t know,\u201d Dimitrov said. \u201cYou have a split second to make a decision\u2026 So for me, I’ve always focussed most on the ball, because the ball gives me the information, and then hopefully I can make the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Nowhere was that skill more evident than at Wimbledon<\/a>, where Dimitrov\u2019s grass-court efficiency and shot-making gave even the very best trouble. In the fourth round, he surged to a two-sets-to-love lead against eventual champion Jannik Sinner<\/a>, repeatedly neutralising the Italian\u2019s forward forays with clean passes and sharp angles. It was a performance brimming with control and creativity, cut short only by a heartbreaking pectoral injury that forced his retirement.<\/p>\n That blend of flair and resilience defined Dimitrov\u2019s season. The former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings and Nitto ATP Finals<\/a> winner also reached the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami, another week in which his ability to absorb pressure and counterpunch with precision stood out against the Tour\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n Points Won When Opponent At Net (2025)\n<\/p>\n![\"\u201cATP\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/atp-no-1-club-banner-article.jpg\")
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