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Dimitrov on Nalbandian addition: ‘It happened so naturally’
Bulgarian discusses new coaches and previews of Acapulco run
February 23, 2026
Grigor Dimitrov has hired former world number 3 David Nalbandian as his new coach.
By Jerome Coombe
New coaching firepower surrounds Grigor Dimitrov as he prepares for the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presented by HSBC.
Former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and 11-time tour level champion David Nalbandian recently joined the Bulgarian camp, adding further experience to a team that already welcomed former Top 20 player Xavier Malisse at the start of the season. For Dimitrov, the early signs are encouraging as he works to rediscover his top level.
“I knew them individually, and it also helps if you played against them a few times,” Dimitrov said in an interview with ATP Media ahead of his run in Acapulco. “It’s nice when you can identify with someone you played against. He or she has been retired for over ten years, but it wasn’t that long ago either.”
“In the beginning, when I started talking to them, we really started to see things the same way and I could identify with them in terms of the timing of their careers, injuries, game plan, thoughts and such. In a way it happened so naturally. At the moment we are still trying to find our footing because it is all very new for us, but things are very clear about what needs to be done and how we want to approach the game.”
Dimitrov has a 2-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Malisse, losing his only meeting with Nalbandian at Queen’s Club in 2012. More than a decade later, the former rivals are now united in pursuit of a shared goal.
The reset follows a frustrating 2025 season in which Dimitrov was forced to retire due to a sudden chest injury while leading Jannik Sinner by two sets at Wimbledon. It was a setback that limited him to one more appearance before focusing on the new season.
With one win from his first three matches this year, the 34-year-old will be hoping a return to Acapulco – where he lifted the trophy on his debut in 2014 – can reignite his momentum.
“I came early. I just wanted to make sure I got a few extra hours on the court,” said Dimitrov, who opens against Terence Atmane at the ATP 500 on Wednesday. “The last few months have been a bit bumpy. I haven’t been able to practice as much as I would like, and I haven’t been able to get more matches in either.”
That 2014 run, in which he defeated Andy Murray in an epic three-set semi-final, remains a fond memory, but Dimitrov is firmly focused on the present.
“I will always have wonderful memories,” Dimitrov said when asked about that run. “Every time we go into the same tournament, it’s the same tournament, but it’s a new year. I always try to adopt that new habit, no matter what the new preparation looks like.
“I always try to understand myself. Hopefully I can really implement them and make sure I feel good about it when I step on the field.”
The chest injury, which kept him out for three months between Wimbledon and Paris, also offered a period of reflection. As he focuses on returning to the form that won him the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals crown, Dimitrov recognizes the necessary internal adjustments.
“I had to change things, whether I liked it or not,” Dimitrov said of his injury. “It was more the work 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 bit of a game on me. It’s normal though and I’m trying to find the silver lining. I’ve never really been injured or experienced being away from the sport for so long, so it was extremely new.”
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