“Always embrace it. I think that’s the beauty of it, in the sport that we’re playing. And you can transfer that to life.”

The 32-year-old Grigor Dimitrov knows that life on the ATP Tour can feel like an incredible privilege or an extremely frustrating endeavour. But the hard times only serve to “make a stronger steel”, according to the Bulgarian.

That pearl of wisdom is among the messages Dimitrov shared with his younger self as part of ATP Uncovered’s ‘Note To Self’ Series.

Dimitrov also touched on the constant comparisons to Roger Federer that have followed him throughout his career, explaining how he finally learned to accept it as he became more comfortable with his own path.

“Being compared to Roger Federer for, I don’t know, 20 years already. How about like drop it, let it go,” he said in part. “I just handled it. I made a name for myself.”

Watch the full video to see how Dimitrov would coach his younger self to deal with that challenge and the many other obstacles that are part and parcel of a career on the ATP Tour.