Grigor Dimitrov recorded another early exit, losing in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters and continuing a difficult start to the season. The Bulgarian has now suffered seven defeats in his first nine matches this year, and the result will push him out of the world’s top 100 for the first time in 14 years.

Dimitrov was defeated 4:6, 6:2, 3:6 by Tomas Martin Etcheverry after nearly two hours on court. The match took place at a tournament held in Monte Carlo, where the Bulgarian resides. Among those watching from the stands were his partner Eiza González and his mother, Maria Dimitrova.

The loss carries significant ranking consequences. Dimitrov was unable to defend the 200 points he earned from last year’s quarterfinal run at the same event, leading to a sharp drop in the standings. According to provisional calculations, he is now around 135th in the world, a position that could complicate his participation in main tournament draws and potentially force him into qualifying rounds in the near future.

Etcheverry, currently among the more consistent performers on tour, relied on solid baseline play and capitalized on Dimitrov’s unforced errors. This was their second meeting, following Dimitrov’s win at the Paris Masters in 2024.

The opening set was evenly contested early on. Dimitrov managed to break first and take a 2:1 lead, but a series of mistakes allowed his opponent to respond immediately. The decisive moment came at 5:4 for the Argentine, who broke again to seal the set 6:4.

In the second set, Dimitrov raised his level considerably. He opened with a break to love and maintained control with improved consistency from the baseline. A second break helped him establish a 4:1 lead, and he comfortably closed the set 6:2.

The deciding set remained balanced until 3:2 in favor of Etcheverry. At that point, Dimitrov’s game dipped, and a string of four consecutive errors handed his opponent a crucial break. From there, the Argentine maintained his advantage and secured the win, despite some late resistance from the Bulgarian.

Falling outside the top 100 marks a major setback for Dimitrov, potentially affecting his access to major tournaments and signaling a challenging period ahead in his season.