Defending champion Grigor Dimitrov has to cancel his start at the ATP tournament in his home country Bulgaria. For the 26-year-old, Stan Wawrinka will move up to the top in Sofia.
The defending champion will not compete in his homeland. Grigor Dimitrov – the current number four in the world – is a big disappointment for home fans in Bulgaria. Last year, the local patriot went off the pitch as tournament winner and then went on to play a magnificent season – which is now taking its toll.
The 26-year-old stated before the tournament kicks off next Monday that he is not at the top physical level and continues to be afflicted with a shoulder injury:”My team and I had to make a very difficult decision about missing out on this year’s edition of the tournament in Sofia.”.
Dimitrov explained that his final medical examination showed that he was not yet at 100 percent of his physical abilities.
As a replacement for the top seed, the Swiss stan Wawrinka, who is slowly approaching his old form after a long break from injury, is moving up. At the Australian Open “Stan the man” had to pack his bags early on. The physical condition of the three-time Grand Slam champion in Melbourne no longer allowed him to go on and he is longing for more time after his comeback.
“I’m very happy that a champion like Stan has accepted – especially an invitation at such short notice,”said Tournament Director Paul McNamee. McNamee explained that the cancellation of the audience’s favourite was nevertheless “painful”, especially after “such a successful season”. For Wawrinka, the performance in Bulgaria will mainly be a status quo before going to the major Masters tournaments in March. Before leaving for the Masters in the USA, Wawrinka is expected to arrive in Rotterdam and Marseille.
The men’s world ranking list