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Bulgarian tennis professional, Grigor Dimitrov, is often called ‘Baby Roger’ because of the similarities between his and Roger’s game. Both Grigor and Roger Federer ooze class when they’re on the court with their elegant techniques. In a recent interview, Dimitrov recalled the moment he figured out the resemblance.

According to the Bulgarian, he didn’t intend to copy Federer’s game and the similarities are merely a coincidence. Grigor has also stated that he isn’t particularly a fan of those comparisons.

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Grigor Dimitrov on similarities with Roger Federer’s game

The parallels between Grigor Dimitrov’s and Roger Federer‘s techniques have long been a topic of conversation amongst tennis fans. The Bulgarian clarified the situation recently in an interview with Tennis Majors.

The interviewer asked when did Grigor realize their games were similar and he said, “One of the first shots my dad taught me was the slice (a shot that Roger is famous for). I’m not sure Roger was playing at the time, but he was not that well known. But my dad was very vocal on certain shots of my game. That’s why I still remember that one of the first shots he taught me was the slice.”

The Bulgarian explained the problem he was facing with his serve. Talking about the serve, he stated, “Every time I was serving, I used to put my foot next to the other one… So ultimately, I had to change my serve for another position. And that position turned out to be similar to that guy (Roger). The person who helped me out with it was a big fan of Roger.”

Grigor Dimitrov has been tagged with the nickname “Baby Roger” as a result of these resemblances. In the latter half of the chat, he clarified that he used to appreciate the tag, but that he now feels uncomfortable with it.

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Federer’s comeback is still uncertain

Following Wimbledon 2021, the Swiss Maestro was forced to take a break from professional tennis due to a knee injury.

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Federer has withdrawn from the Australian Open in 2022 as he continues to recover from the surgery. The Maestro is still unable to train and anticipates returning to tennis in the middle of next year.

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