06 January 2026
Grigor Dimitrov marked an emotional return to competitive tennis with a convincing straight-sets victory at the Brisbane International, recording his first singles win since Wimbledon after months of recovery and hard work.
The Bulgarian overcame former top-10 player Pablo Carreno Busta with a confident 6–3, 6–2 performance on Tuesday night, showing flashes of his trademark style and rhythm despite entering the tournament unseeded. The match was Dimitrov’s first since the serious pectoral muscle injury he sustained last July at Wimbledon, where he was forced to retire while leading eventual champion Jannik Sinner by two sets.
“Oh wonderful, you know, starting the year here is always very special for me,” Dimitrov said. “I think it’s been a bit of a rough road but I’m just grateful. These months have been very, very difficult in terms of preparation and mentality, you know, my body.”
“Just so much that I had to go through, but just to be able to compete again today, it’s already a success. Of course, winning is just an added bonus right now. Again, I’m feeling good, I was feeling well on the court so little by little let’s see how we go.”
The match statistics underlined the quality of the performance, with Dimitrov striking 26 winners against only 10 unforced errors. The win improved his head-to-head record to 5–3 against Carreno Busta and further cemented his legacy at the Brisbane International, where he now holds a tournament-record 27 match wins across 10 appearances.
The two-time Brisbane champion will next face Belgian qualifier Raphael Collignon, who caused a surprise earlier in the day by defeating Canadian fifth seed Denis Shapovalov.
“I think with each year that’s passing by I’m feeling more and more humble by the support I get all around the world,” he added. “Starting here every year has proven to be a very good omen for me and I always feel fantastic here even if I’m not feeling too well.”
For Grigor Dimitrov, the result was about far more than the scoreline — it was a meaningful step forward after a challenging comeback journey, with Brisbane once again providing the perfect setting.
The Bulgarian overcame former top-10 player Pablo Carreno Busta with a confident 6–3, 6–2 performance on Tuesday night, showing flashes of his trademark style and rhythm despite entering the tournament unseeded. The match was Dimitrov’s first since the serious pectoral muscle injury he sustained last July at Wimbledon, where he was forced to retire while leading eventual champion Jannik Sinner by two sets.
“Oh wonderful, you know, starting the year here is always very special for me,” Dimitrov said. “I think it’s been a bit of a rough road but I’m just grateful. These months have been very, very difficult in terms of preparation and mentality, you know, my body.”
“Just so much that I had to go through, but just to be able to compete again today, it’s already a success. Of course, winning is just an added bonus right now. Again, I’m feeling good, I was feeling well on the court so little by little let’s see how we go.”
The match statistics underlined the quality of the performance, with Dimitrov striking 26 winners against only 10 unforced errors. The win improved his head-to-head record to 5–3 against Carreno Busta and further cemented his legacy at the Brisbane International, where he now holds a tournament-record 27 match wins across 10 appearances.
The two-time Brisbane champion will next face Belgian qualifier Raphael Collignon, who caused a surprise earlier in the day by defeating Canadian fifth seed Denis Shapovalov.
“I think with each year that’s passing by I’m feeling more and more humble by the support I get all around the world,” he added. “Starting here every year has proven to be a very good omen for me and I always feel fantastic here even if I’m not feeling too well.”
For Grigor Dimitrov, the result was about far more than the scoreline — it was a meaningful step forward after a challenging comeback journey, with Brisbane once again providing the perfect setting.
