“Just happy to compete” : Dimitrov comes back with a win at the Rolex Paris Masters

Grigor Dimitrov defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (5), 6-1 on Monday evening. It was his first match since his right pectoral injury at Wimbledon.

27 October 2025

Grigor Dimitrov, Rolex Paris Masters 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz

Cédric Rouquette

Rolex Paris Masters •Second round • Completed

See draw

G. Mpetshi PerricardvsG. Dimitrov

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov was back on the pro Tour four months after his retirement at Wimbledon against Jannik Sinner and was happy to win against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the opening match of the night session, to move into the second round of the Paris Masters at the Paris La Défense Arena on Monday evening.

“I just wanted to come out and test myself, give myself a chance” Dimitrov said at the post-match interview. “I think winning or losing tonight. I’ve given all I I had, of course, it’s very difficult to to adjust, especially playing against a player like him. You have to be aware throughout the whole time and stay focused. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have. There’s always that added stress, especially after so many months away. But listen, it’s it’s a good night. I’m taking it in and just going one day at a time.”

There’s always that added stress, especially after so many months away.

“I didn’t know what to expect if I have to be completely honest”, Dimitrov added. “I had to look on my side of the net and really control what I could, and that was my serve. The way I was reading the game and playing my shots.”

Dimitrov : “Not much expectations”

Dimitrov’s victory was built in the first set, which he won 7-5 in the tie-break after one hour and nine minutes of play. Although relatively comfortable on their service games, both men nonetheless had to save two break points each early in the set.

Dimitrov took the tie-break 7-5, proving to be the more solid player in key moments, despite two unforced errors that allowed Mpetshi Perricard to come back from 5-2 to 5-4. The Frenchman, too timid at the net—a backhand volley into the net after having done the hard part, followed by a soft forehand volley late in the tie-break—let slip a set that the Parisian crowd was eager to see him win, hoping to ignite the arena.

“I mean, in the tiebreak, anything could have happened. I missed those two fairly easy forehands. I knew I’m going to get another chance. So all that again comes from the experience. But I really had not much of an expectations for myself.”

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Mpetshi Perricard’s Collapse in the Second Set

Under these circumstances, the second set was merely a formality. Double-broken immediately (4-0 then 5-1), Mpetshi Perricard displayed astonishing service stats for a player whose game relies on this master stroke: zero aces to two double faults, 45% first serve percentage, only 8 points won on his own serve, and zero break points saved out of three.

The Bulgarian, a finalist at the Rolex Paris Masters in 2023 and a semi-finalist in 2019, thus won his 25th career match at the tournament. This record makes him the fourth most effective player in the tournament’s history.

Dimitrov, world No. 38 on the ATP tour, will face the winner of the match between Spain’s Jaume Munar and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, the No. 11 seed, in the second round of the Parisian tournament.

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