Dimitrov admits he was traumatized by Nadal in 2017: "It took me 7 or 8 months to recover from the match against Rafa"

In the run-up to Wimbledon, where he will be one of the main outsiders, Grigor Dimitrov spoke at some length to our New York Times colleagues.

During the interview, the current world number 10 recalled one of the most traumatic defeats of his career: his semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal at the 2017 Australian Open (6-3, 5-7, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4). The most assiduous followers are bound to remember this magnificent duel.

At the time, the level of play had reached absolutely Dantesque heights, making this match one of the most memorable encounters in Melbourne's recent history. The Bulgarian was finally beaten after 4 hours 58 minutes of battle, but his performance was monumental (20 aces, 80 winners, 66 unforced errors), as was Rafa's (8 aces, 50 winners, 40 unforced errors).

Looking back on this difficult defeat, 'Dimi' admitted that he needed a lot of time to digest: "It took me seven or eight months to recover from the match against Rafa. I felt as if an invisible force had turned the match on its head. I was leading in the fifth set and playing incredibly well.

I felt unplayable. There was no way I was going to lose the match or the tournament and I lost anyway. At times like that, you try to draw on your own experiences and ask yourself questions.

I've always believed in talking to someone, whether it's professionals, family or friends. I think it's a vital thing to do and it has to come from within. Talking is useless if you don't take the first step."