As the 2025 season approaches, the Australian Open stands as the first major target for the world’s top players. Chris Eubanks shared his pick for a dark horse in Melbourne during an interview on Tennis Channel: World No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov, whom he views as a potential surprise contender in the year’s first Grand Slam.

On paper, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz seem like the favourites, having split the major titles in 2024, two apiece. However, Eubanks sees Dimitrov as a possible surprise: “I’m going with Grigor Dimitrov,” Eubanks said. “He’s my dark horse. He played phenomenal tennis last year, especially on hard courts.

“We’ve seen, granted not the career-high ranking that he’s achieved earlier in his career when he got up to number three in the world, but I think the level that he played at last year is a little bit higher.”

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Eubanks highlighted Dimitrov’s standout performance at the Miami Open, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals before falling to an inspired Jannik Sinner in an epic final. It was the Bulgarian’s third Masters 1000 final. “He’s moving into the forecourt area, played a phenomenal match in Miami against [Carlos] Alcaraz, in which he kind of showcased what the variety can do to offset some of the best players in the world.

“He’s currently in his off-season training, doing a lot of training with Jannk Sinner, and to me that’s also a big point,” Eubanks added. “If he’s practising with the best player in the world on a day-in, day-out basis for a week or two, I think the rest of the competition is going to be a little bit weary of Dimitrov coming in.”

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Jason Goodall, a former ATP player and current Tennis Channel commentator, disagreed with Eubanks, dismissing Dimitrov’s chances. “Compelling argument, but he’s got zero chance,” Goodall said of the 33-year-old player. “Great player, love him, very stylish individual.”

“He hates me, I’m not going to get any Christmas cards from Grigor, but I just don’t think he has what it takes upstairs,” Goodall added. “He’s talked about getting really anxious over the course of the last couple of seasons as well. In the big matches, he gets very, very nervous. There’s no way he can bring it when it really matters at the tail end of a major.”

“Compelling argument, but he’s got zero chance,” Goodall said of the 33-year-old player. “Great player, love him, very stylish individual.” “He hates me, I’m not going to get any Christmas cards from Grigor, but I just don’t think he has what it takes upstairs,” Goodall added. “He’s talked about getting really anxious over the course of the last couple of seasons as well. In the big matches, he gets very, very nervous. There’s no way he can bring it when it really matters at the tail end of a major.”