It’s the first week of the Australian Open and we are already getting concerning updates from Melbourne. Grigor Dimitrov retired mid-match from his opening round showcase, sparking an overwhelming reaction from fans on social media. However, what’s rather surprising is that this isn’t the Bulgarian star’s first misfortune in the 2025 calendar season.

Dimitrov locked horns with ‘lucky loser’ Francesco Passaro after his first-round tie against Fabio Fognini was cancelled moments after the event’s main draw was released. While fans hoped that the Bulgarian player would make a deep run in Melbourne, having finished semifinalist in the event’s 2017 edition. However, optimistic speculations went south after he faced an opening set deficit against Italian Passaro and trailed 1-2 in the second set.

Despite his valiant efforts to come back, Grigor suffered an unfortunate setback, forcing him to abruptly withdraw from the showdown. According to the latest update, the former World No. 3 was forced to concede the contest mid-match, 7-5, 2-1, after suffering a hip injury for the second consecutive time during the 2025 Australian swing.

To much surprise, trailing 6-4, 4-4, world No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov retired from his Brisbane International semifinal due to a groin and hip injury, sending 23-year-old Jiri Lehecka into his fourth ATP final.

While more updates surrounding his physical health are yet to surface, fans can expect that the Bulgarian star won’t return until the issue is resolved and he can gain full mobility to avoid any further mishaps. However, that possibility also looks uncertain seeing his unfortunate track record on the Grand Slam stage.

Grigor Dimitrov completes the ‘retirement Slam’ at the Australian Open after heartbreak exit

Bulgarian superstar Grigor Dimitrov’s career has been littered with disappointment on the Grand Slam stage. While his frequent withdraws from top-tier events seemingly remain persistent, it is shocking to see that the former World No. 3 has conceded eight Slam matches in the past, out of which six of those came since his 2021 French Open withdrawal.

Looking at the last two majors he attended last year, Dimitrov withdrew from his fourth-round contest at Wimbledon due to his knee issue. Later, he withdrew from his US Open quarterfinal showcase against American Frances Tiafoe, after a leg injury severely impacted his performance.

Following his devastating exit from Flushing Meadows, Dimitrov told the reporters: “It doesn’t get easier, I tell you that much. But when you’ve done certain things a certain way throughout your career, a lot of moments, outside of tennis, really humble you in a very different way.”

“That’s why when I have something like that comes around, for sure I take it and I hurt with it, you have to. I don’t want to just, like, brush it off, like that’s fine,” he added.

For now, fans await the Bulgarian star’s statement on the issue at Melbourne Park. Grigor will likely return to action after the conclusion of the Australian swing and recovering from his physical troubles.