John McEnroe shares where Grigor Dimitrov comes up short in Roger Federer comparison

Grigor Dimitrov was heavily hyped for most of the early years of his tennis career. He was dubbed “Baby Fed” by those who thought his looks and game resembled Roger Federer. But now he is far along in the middle of his career, and he still hasn’t lived up to the perhaps unfair billing.

Dimitrov is now 29 and ranked No. 19 currently. He has made the semis at three majors but never any finals. He has been ranked as high as No. 3 in the world.

During his quarterfinals match at the Australian Open Tuesday in Melbourne, ESPN commentator John McEnroe talked about where Dimitrov comes up short in the comparison to Federer.

“His backhand is not anywhere near the level of Federer’s. Nor is his net game. Nor is his confidence,” McEnroe said.

That doesn’t mean that McEnroe doesn’t found some areas where Dimitrov is praiseworthy.

“I think the ‘Baby Fed’ comparison was really, he struggled with that. That was a lot to live up to. (He’s a) great kid. Thoroughly professional.”

Going back to 2013, both players said they didn’t like the comparison.

Dimitrov made the quarters as the Australian Open in 2014 and the semis at Wimbledon that same year, which is when the hype really took off. He was 21 and 22 years old at the time and had so much ahead of him. But then he made it back to the semis of a major only once in the next four years, proving just how difficult it was to reach that level early in his career.

Dimitrov received a very favorable quarterfinals match against qualifier Aslan Karatsev. But his road in the semis will be tougher as he faces the Novak Djokovic-Sascha Zverev winner.

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