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Grigor Dimitrov Diagnosed with COVID-19; Pulled Out of Novak Djokovic Match

Mike Chiari

Tennis star Grigor Dimitrov announced Saturday that he tested positive for COVID-19 while in Monaco.

Tumaini Carayol of the Guardian tweeted Dimitrov's statement on the matter:

ATP play has been suspended since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but an exhibition slate called the Adria Tour run by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic began last week in Serbia and Croatia.

Dimitrov fell (4-1, 4-1) to Borna Coric on Saturday and withdrew prior to a scheduled match against Djokovic on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Dimitrov said he is now resting and recovering at home.

Dimitrov, a native of Bulgaria, is the No. 19-ranked player in the world. He was ranked as high as No. 3 in 2018 and is considered one of the best active men's players to have not yet won a Grand Slam singles title.

The veteran has reached the semifinals one time each in the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open, and he has made it as far as the third round at the French Open four times.

Dimitrov's last deep run in a Grand Slam tournament wasn't long ago, as he reached the U.S. Open semis last year before falling to Daniil Medvedev. Dimitrov was ousted in the second round of this year's Australian Open by American Tommy Paul.

Although Dimitrov has never won a Grand Slam, he does have eight ATP singles titles to his credit and has reached 15 finals.

The 2020 Wimbledon tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the French Open was pushed back to late September and the U.S. Open is still scheduled for late August.

While Dimitrov has never fared particularly well on clay, he will be a threat to go on a deep run again at the U.S. Open if he is healthy enough to compete and the tournament goes on as scheduled.

   

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