Etcheverry sends Dimitrov out of Top 100 for first time in 14 years
Two wins from nine matches, a top 100 streak ended after 14 years, and a Roland-Garros wild card now his only route into the French Open main draw – Grigor Dimitrov’s comeback season has hit its lowest point yet.
Grigor Dimitrov, 2026 | © UTS Tour
Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry defeated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in the second round of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Tuesday, ending a streak that had endured longer than most careers on the ATP Tour.
The defeat drops Dimitrov provisionally to around world No. 135, a fall of 42 places, as 190 points evaporate after an early exit at a tournament where he had reached the quarterfinals a year ago. More significantly, it ends his unbroken run inside the top 100 – a streak that began on 2 April 2012, exactly 14 years ago to the week.
Only Novak Djokovic, whose streak dates to July 2005, has been ranked continuously inside the top 100 for longer among active players.
Only one win in 2026
The timing could not be worse. Roland-Garros main draw entries close on 13 April – six days from now – and Dimitrov’s ranking at that cut will determine whether he needs a wild card to reach the French Open. He will almost certainly need one.
His season has offered little shelter. Coming back from a partial tear of his right pectoralis major sustained at Wimbledon last July, an injury that forced him to retire from the match against Jannik Sinner while leading by two sets, Dimitrov has managed only two wins from eight matches in 2026. He lost in the first round of the Australian Open, Dallas, Acapulco and Miami, where a defeat to Belgian qualifier Raphaël Collignon in the first round was the low point.
His only wins came at Brisbane and Indian Wells, where he beat Terence Atmane before falling to Carlos Alcaraz.
“A lack of matches is the part where it’s more difficult for me.”
He arrived on clay having overhauled his coaching team. He brought in Xavier Malisse at the start of 2026, then added former world No. 3 David Nalbandian ahead of Acapulco, replacing the long-standing partnership with Daniel Vallverdu and Jamie Delgado.
Speaking to Tennis Majors at the Bastide UTS Nîmes clay exhibition two weeks ago, Dimitrov was measured about what to expect. “I don’t expect anything at the moment,” he said. “Just preparing the best way possible is what I’m expecting from myself. And then grind through it.” He acknowledged the match count problem plainly: “A lack of matches is the part where it’s more difficult for me.”
At UTS, the results matched the mood. He lost a close quarterfinal to Félix Auger-Aliassime 2-3 (10-16, 13-20, 16-11, 12-14, 1-2), pushing the eventual winner all the way, before losing the classification match to Karen Khachanov 0-3 (10-15, 10-17, 11-16).
Etcheverry, ranked No. 31, advances to the round of 32 where he will face the winner of the match between Frenchman Terence Atmane and American Ethan Quinn.
