PORTO/STARNBERG, September 24, 2026 (via Media Release)
Grigor Dimitrov, the world No. 3 in 2017 and a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist, is the first confirmed star of the Eupago Porto Open. The ATP Challenger 125 event is the biggest men’s tennis tournament played on hard courts in Portugal and will take place from September 27 to October 4, 2026, at the Complexo Desportivo do Monte Aventino.
Dimitrov began making his mark at a young age, reaching the world No. 1 ranking in the junior category in 2008 after winning the boys’ singles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open. His elegant technique, particularly his one-handed backhand, soon earned him comparisons with Roger Federer.
His unbeaten run at the 2017 ATP Finals in London marked the defining moment of his career. The Bulgarian captured the biggest title of his career and climbed to a career-high No. 3 in the ATP Rankings in November of that year. Dimitrov has won nine ATP singles titles — seven of them on hard courts — and has appeared in 12 ATP Tour finals. He has also reached three Grand Slam semifinals, at Wimbledon in 2014, the Australian Open in 2017 and the US Open in 2019. His career includes memorable victories over all members of the so-called “Big Four”: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
The most serious injury of Dimitrov’s career came at Wimbledon in 2025, when he suffered a severe tear to his right pectoral muscle. The dramatic incident occurred in his fourth-round match against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Dimitrov was leading by two sets when he was forced to retire in tears. The injury required hospital treatment and kept him out of competition for around three months.
“I was afraid of having to go back on court and start hitting the ball again. I’m not going to lie, my first shots, even in practice, were extremely difficult for me mentally, not only to execute the movement, but also because I had a lot of flashbacks. It was a very, very uncomfortable feeling. But I knew I had to work hard on it,” Dimitrov recently admitted.
In the 2026 season, the Bulgarian has enjoyed some notable moments, particularly at Wimbledon, where he defeated top-20 player Jakub Mensik before being stopped in the fourth round. At the US Open, Dimitrov came through all three qualifying rounds before losing in the opening round of the main draw. At Roland-Garros, he was eliminated in the first round of qualifying by Portugal’s Jaime Faria.
Dimitrov has a positive 2-1 head-to-head record against Joao Sousa, with their three meetings taking place between 2013 and 2016. However, he has lost two of his three encounters with Nuno Borges, including their most recent meeting in Bastad in July. The Porto Open will mark Dimitrov’s competitive debut on Portuguese soil. He was invited to the Millennium Estoril Open in 2021 but ultimately withdrew because of injury.
Beyond his achievements on court, Dimitrov is also known for his charitable work and support of initiatives benefiting children in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated ventilators to the hospital in his hometown of Haskovo. The 35-year-old has earned more than $32 million in career prize money and has also attracted considerable media attention for his high-profile relationships, including with former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova and singer Nicole Scherzinger.
Dimitrov will be accompanied in Porto by Jamie Delgado, the former professional player who has worked as a coach with several leading players, including Andy Murray from 2016 to 2021 and Denis Shapovalov.
The 28th edition of the Porto Open is part of the ATP Challenger Tour and is organised by the Associacao de Tenis do Porto, with the support of the Portuguese Tennis Federation. Eupago has been the tournament’s title sponsor for the past three years.
