Grigor Dimitrov’s road back from injury has been anything but easy. The Bulgarian suffered a heartbreaking moment at Wimbledon when, while leading Jannik Sinner by two sets, he tore his pectoral muscle and was forced to retire in tears. It marked his fifth straight Grand Slam retirement. Since that crushing setback in July, the former world No. 3 stayed locked in, working tirelessly to rebuild his strength. His long-awaited return finally came at the Paris Masters, where hope filled the air again. But it didn’t last long.

On Monday, Dimitrov made a thrilling comeback with a solid win over home favorite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Back on the indoor hard courts of Paris, where he reached the final in 2023, the 34-year-old showed the same spark with a 7-6(5), 6-1 victory. After the match, he said, “It was never easy. I knew that coming to competition is just going to be a difficult task. I just wanted to come out and test myself, give myself a chance.” His resilient return gave fans a much-needed boost ahead of the next round.

He was set to take on Daniil Medvedev for the 12th time in their careers, but news soon broke that he had pulled out of the tournament. “Unfortunately, Grigor Dimitrov has pulled out from the singles draw. It was great seeing you back on court Grigor,” the tournament announced on social media.

For now, there’s no word on why he withdrew from the Paris Masters. The timing surprised many, especially after his singles win and his appearance in the doubles event alongside Nicolas Mahut in the Frenchman’s final career match. Hopes were high to see the Bulgarian showcase his magic again after that unfortunate scene at Wimbledon.

He spent three months off the court to recover. The world No. 38 isn’t entered into next week’s ATP 250 events in Metz and Athens and did not qualify for the ATP Finals. Could he be saving himself for a bigger comeback in 2026?

Grigor Dimitrov speaks about his recovery ahead of Paris Masters

Ahead of his clash with Perricard, Dimitrov opened up to the ATP website about life off the court. “There are a lot of good and mixed feelings in the most positive way, but it’s nice to be back with the boys and starting to challenge each other again,” he said. “It’s been a good week for me so far, trying to get as many hours as possible on the court because this is what I’ve craved. At the same time, I’m also trying to keep things at the most basic stuff.”

Back home, reports from Bulgaria confirmed the injury that kept him away from action was serious but not career-threatening. Doctors revealed Dimitrov suffered a partial tear of his pectoralis major, a painful blow but one that comes with a manageable path to recovery. He had been expected to feature at the US Open in August but was forced to withdraw, opting instead for rest and rehabilitation.

Wimbledon was the turning point, though. Many feared the former World No. 3 would miss the rest of the season and only return in the new year. That timeline was still part of his plan, although he was excited to compete in Paris. “Of course, my goal is coming back to full force next year, but it’s a great challenge for me right now just to see how the body will respond,” said the veteran with a determined grin.

With the setback behind him and fresh motivation brewing, the question now stands: will 2026 bring a new, energized version of Grigor Dimitrov ready to light up the tour again?