Dimitrov can't solve grass problem, like Maria

Grigor Dimitrov joined girlfriend Maria Sharapova in slipping out of Wimbledon and was more keen to talk about the state of the courts than his high-profile love life.

The Bulgarian lost a five-set match to Grega Zemlja this afternoon, in an eventful finish to a contest which started yesterday but was halted at 9-8 in the decider due to the weather.

Dimitrov took a fall in the opening game to offer up a match point to his opponent and, even though he saved that, he was broken the next time he had the serve and lost 11-9.

Dimitrov was clearly unhappy about the playing conditions – he took to his chair for 10 minutes after the slip, which came amid relatively heavy rainfall - and gesticulated about the bounce of the ball in the final game.

His exit carried unfortunate shades of Sharapova’s exit on Wednesday – the Russian too struggled with her footing – but he did not want to talk about her when asked afterwards.

He did confirm that they are an item, something he had not publicly done.

Asked if Sharapova’s court-side presence causes extra pressure, he said: “I feel even more pumped and happy that she’s there for me.”

But when pressed to comment about the row between Sharapova and Serena Williams that broke last weekend, which has involved claims that the American meant Dimitrov when she spoke of a player’s boyfriend with a “black heart”, he chose instead to talk about his tumbles.

“You tell me what kind of heart I have,” he said jokingly.

“I am here to talk about slippery courts, how many injuries we had, pull-outs...”

The 22-year-old had good reason for wanting to talk about the surface as well.

At 30-30 in the first game back today, as the rain fell, a change of direction saw Dimitrov fall over. Despite his frustration, in the end he accepted it was part of the deal in grass-court tennis.

“It started raining in the warm-up and I thought the chair man (umpire) would say something,” he said.

“I was kind of waiting for that call. I slipped and hit my hip. I told him I wasn’t serving.

“It was a tough day and the rain was pretty tough. It was a bit slippery. I think a lot of people have been talking about the weather and it has been tough for the aggressive movers.

“I would consider myself pretty aggressive and it’s tough when the grass is really slippery.

“But you have got to adjust. It’s not going to change.”