Grigor Dimitrov tumbles down ATP rankings as horror form continues at Miami Open

Grigor Dimitrov was among the shock losers from the opening round of action at the Miami Open, but it looks set to cost him more than just a shot at this year’s title. The Bulgarian was involved in a tussle with Raphael Collignon, who just edged the contest 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 7-6 (8-6). It’s the latest in a long line of difficult results for Dimitrov this calendar year, having been dumped out of the Australian Open first round in straight sets. Since the opening Slam of 2026, Dimitrov has struggled on tour, having won just one singles match and crashed out of multiple events at the first hurdle. That came at Indian Wells earlier this month, but such is the luck of the draw, Dimitrov was paired against Carlos Alcaraz in the next round. His woes continued during the second half of the Sunshine Double, but the Collignon defeat appears to have cut deeper. That’s because Dimitrov made it to the semi-finals of the Miami Open last year, which was always going to be a big ask to replicate this time around. However, a first-round exit wouldn’t have been on the cards for the 34-year-old, meaning his ranking points have taken a hefty beating as well. His confirmed post-Miami ranking won’t be known until later in the tournament, but he’s guaranteed to drop out of the top 80 in the world. It’s a stark contrast to the player who was four games away from knocking eventual champion Jannik Sinner out of the 2025 Wimbledon Championship just a matter of months ago. Tennis news, scores and tournament results plus selected offers and competitions We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy The three-time Slam semi-finalist did well to battle back from the injury that kept him out of several tournaments in the second-half of 2026. Commenting on the injury, he said: “It took time to build the muscles back. It was a painful summer. I couldn’t serve, couldn’t forehand, all that stuff. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym. It was a progress in work, and seeing it now, it’s obviously hard, but I’ve been listening to my body. “Last year I felt like it started off my season pretty strong, so I’m looking forward to hopefully doing the same thing. But yeah, you never know what to expect at the start of the year. You’ve been practicing for a few weeks straight, so hopefully the things that I’ve been working on in practice can translate over."