The United Cup may be an 11-day event, but the impact of the inaugural mixed-teams competition could last long after the final ball is struck in Sydney on 8 January.
Just ask Dimitar Kuzmanov, who this week produced two high-quality singles performances at Perth’s RAC Arena to start his 2023 season in style. The 29-year-old has played 33 tour-level matches in his career, but he believes experiences like the one he has had with Team Bulgaria this week can only help his pursuit to break through further on the ATP Tour.
“It’s really important for us and it gives us a chance to play in those events with this [sort of] stage and these players,” World No. 196 Kuzmanov told ATPTour.com in Perth, where he defeated Michail Pervolarakis and Zizou Bergs this week for the loss of just four games combined. “[It] shows the public that tennis has grown a lot, and even the guys that are ranked Top 200, like me, they are pretty much equalling the top guys. I think that brings more interest to the sport and to the fans.”
[ATP APP]
Kuzmanov is speaking from experience. The Bulgarian, who won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Barcelona in 2021, notched the first two of his 18 tour-level wins at the 2020 ATP Cup when he was World No. 423. Those performances kick-started his rise towards the Top 200 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, and in August 2022 he reached his career-high of No. 159.
“Especially when you play so well and manage to get the wins, it gives you an extra confidence,” said Kuzmanov. “It gave me a lot of confidence a few years ago when we played the first ATP Cup. Since then, my development and my ranking has increased a lot.
“When I was playing the match [on Sunday against Bergs], I was saying, ‘You have to do the things that will push you to go through to the next level and try to be better. It doesn’t matter the result.’ You have to follow this on the court, even if you are missing balls or if you’re going to lose, it doesn’t matter. This is the right way.”
Being able to garner courtside advice from eight-time ATP Tour champion and former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, Team Bulgaria’s playing captain this week in Perth, is another aspect of the United Cup that Kuzmanov feels can only benefit him when he returns to playing individual events.
“[It helps] when you have such a good player in your team, who is also captain, and you get to take all the experience you can from him, on and off the court,” said the 29-year-old. “Especially when he’s playing, you try to watch and learn different things. I try to get as much as I can.
“Of course him sitting on the bench gives you a lot of confidence, a lot of advice. I feel really good with him on the bench and that’s also a positive thing about this event and all the team events.”
Just ask Dimitar Kuzmanov, who this week produced two high-quality singles performances at Perth’s RAC Arena to start his 2023 season in style. The 29-year-old has played 33 tour-level matches in his career, but he believes experiences like the one he has had with Team Bulgaria this week can only help his pursuit to break through further on the ATP Tour.
“It’s really important for us and it gives us a chance to play in those events with this [sort of] stage and these players,” World No. 196 Kuzmanov told ATPTour.com in Perth, where he defeated Michail Pervolarakis and Zizou Bergs this week for the loss of just four games combined. “[It] shows the public that tennis has grown a lot, and even the guys that are ranked Top 200, like me, they are pretty much equalling the top guys. I think that brings more interest to the sport and to the fans.”
[ATP APP]
Kuzmanov is speaking from experience. The Bulgarian, who won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Barcelona in 2021, notched the first two of his 18 tour-level wins at the 2020 ATP Cup when he was World No. 423. Those performances kick-started his rise towards the Top 200 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, and in August 2022 he reached his career-high of No. 159.
“Especially when you play so well and manage to get the wins, it gives you an extra confidence,” said Kuzmanov. “It gave me a lot of confidence a few years ago when we played the first ATP Cup. Since then, my development and my ranking has increased a lot.
“When I was playing the match [on Sunday against Bergs], I was saying, ‘You have to do the things that will push you to go through to the next level and try to be better. It doesn’t matter the result.’ You have to follow this on the court, even if you are missing balls or if you’re going to lose, it doesn’t matter. This is the right way.”
Being able to garner courtside advice from eight-time ATP Tour champion and former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, Team Bulgaria’s playing captain this week in Perth, is another aspect of the United Cup that Kuzmanov feels can only benefit him when he returns to playing individual events.
“[It helps] when you have such a good player in your team, who is also captain, and you get to take all the experience you can from him, on and off the court,” said the 29-year-old. “Especially when he’s playing, you try to watch and learn different things. I try to get as much as I can.
“Of course him sitting on the bench gives you a lot of confidence, a lot of advice. I feel really good with him on the bench and that’s also a positive thing about this event and all the team events.”