Grigor Dimitrov was famously nicknamed ‘Baby Federer’ early on in his career, but he didn’t like it at all and still doesn’t.
The Bulgarian emerged as a promising young player who played a beautiful game resembling Roger Federer. He grew up watching and idolizing the Swiss Maestro, so it’s no wonder his game resembled his idol’s.
Even so, Dimitrov wasn’t a fan of the nickname given to him, ‘Baby Federer’, and still isn’t because, to him, it’s very unnecessary. We’ve seen many players come out against these sorts of comparisons between them and some legendary players.
Coco Gauff was called the next Serena, but she dismissed the nickname a few times. Carlos Alcaraz was called the next Rafael Nadal, and he didn’t like it either.
For Dimitrov, it started as something he viewed as mostly funny because he didn’t understand the point, but now, years later, he considers it one of the worst things that happened in his career, as he revealed to The Athletic.
“Honestly, I found it funny at the beginning, and then I started… not hating it but I didn’t like it because there was no point to it. We’re so different and we have some resemblances but we’re really not the same people and I think it was so unnecessary. One wish I would have for a young kid is not to be compared to someone. I think it was probably one of the worst things I had to deal with in my career.”
Nicknames, oftentimes, just create unnecessary pressure, and that’s why many players want to avoid them. They didn’t start playing tennis to be the next someone, and that’s why Dimitrov wanted to be his best own self, not next someone else.
” I never liked it and it never brought me any good. Of course I’m flattered but I always wanted to be my own person.”
