Dimitar Kuzmanov

Early years and personal life

Dimitar Kuzmanov was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, the son of Savko Kuzmanov (an aeronautical engineer) and Dora Rangelova (Bulgaria Fed Cup team's former tennis player and present team captain). His maternal family is entirely related to the sport. Dora's father Zdravko Rangelov, who is one of the founders of tennis in Plovdiv, has been a tennis player and longtime coach in Tennis Club Lokomotiv, whilst her mother has been a volleyball player and coach. Dora's brother, Stefan Rangelov is a former tennis player and present tennis coach. Kuzmanov began playing tennis at age of six when his mother Dora took him to play on courts of Tennis Club Lokomotiv Plovdiv, and Stefan was the man, that gave him a tennis racket and started training. Through the years, Dimitar Kuzmanov has affirmed as a player, who has won many national and international tournaments, he is a champion of Bulgaria in different age groups and participant in Bulgaria national tennis teams, including Davis Cup team.

Tennis Europe Junior Tour

Dimitar Kuzmanov went in Tennis Europe Junior Tour competition from 2005 to 2009. During this period he played very successfully, achieving a record of 57-16 W/L (MD only) and No. 1 in Tennis Europe Junior Ranking (see below). He won 5 (singles) titles: Dema Cup U12 – Sofia and Haskovo Cup U16 – Haskovo, in Bulgaria; Novi Sad Open Raiffeisen Cup U16 – Novi Sad, Serbia; 45th Torneo del Avvenire U16 – Milan and 5th Edizione Torneo Int. U16 Memorial Tato Serina – Crema in Italy and 2 (doubles) titles: Dema Cup U12 – Sofia, Bulgaria and ''Novi Sad open Raiffeisen Cup U16 – Novi Sad, Serbia.

In addition, Kuzmanov played final of the tournaments: BBB Cup U14 – Sofia, Bulgaria; Trofeo Ajuntament De Torello U16 – Torello, Spain; 6th Citta di Montecatini U16 – Montecatini, Italy; Le Pont des Generations U16 – Le Pont, France; Bergant Memorial 2008 U16 – Maribor, Slovenia and semi-final of the tournaments: Bankia Cup U14 – Bankia, Bulgaria; Citta di Pescara U14 – Pescara, Italy; Tennis Jungsten Cup U14 – Koln, Germany; Raiffeisen Jason Cup U16 – Novi Sad, Serbia; Galeja Open Raiffeisen Cup U16 – Maribor, Slovenia and Mondial Paris Cadets Trophee Lagardere U16 – Paris, France.

In 2007 Kuzmanov played semi-final at East European Tennis Championship U14 - Tallinn, Estonia. Because of his performance in the tournament, he was invited in ITF U14 & U16 Development Programme, which program supported him from 2007 to 2009. As a result, 2009 became most successful year of this period (see below).

ITF Junior Tennis

Kuzmanov started playing in ITF Junior Circuit in 2008 and even in his third participation in tournaments of this level he reached to a final - it happened at Dema Cup U18 - Sofia, Bulgaria, where he lost in a very competitive match. During the period 2008 – 2011 he made a record of 53-24 W/L in singles matches and 17-18 W/L in doubles matches (MD only). His most significant achievements are reaching to a final singles match at 2011 European Junior Championships U18 – Klosters, Switzerland and semi-final doubles match at 2011 Roland Garros Junior Championships U18 – Paris, France, as well as winning 2 singles titles at Plovdiv Cup U18 – Plovdiv and Kenana CUP U18 – Haskovo in Bulgaria. In addition, Kuzmanov played 4 singles finals: 12th Serbia Junior Open U18 – Novi Sad, Serbia; Plovdiv Cup U18 – Plovdiv, Bulgaria; 33rd Profstav Slovakia Cup U18 – 2011 – Piestani, Slovakia; Dema Cup U18 – Sofia, Bulgaria and 2 doubles finals: Plovdiv Cup U18 – Plovdiv, Bulgaria and Copa Milo-ChileDeportes 2010 U18 – Santiago, Chile as well as 1 singles semi-final: 23rd Czech International Junior Indoor Championships U18 – Prerov, Czech Republic. His highest ITF Junior ranking is No. 35 (8 August 2011).

2009

Dimitar Kuzmanov made his professional debut at Bulgaria F2 ITF Futures Tournament – at age of 15 years and 9 months. Late in season, he played 2 more ITF Futures tournaments and won his first ATP ranking points. He continued to play tournaments at Tennis Europe and ITF Junior level and this year is definitely one of his most successful years as a junior player. Kuzmanov rose to No. 1 for Boys U16 in Tennis Europe Ranking (26 June 2009) and was honored as "Player of the Tennis Europe Junior for Boys U16 - 2009" becoming the first Bulgarian in the history who had won this prestigious award for this age group. He finished the year as No. 1 in Tennis Europe Ranking.

2010

He continued to play ITF Junior Circuit and ITF Futures tournaments raising his ATP ranking up to position No. 898 at the year end. In this year he won the Academic Tennis tournament, organised by Bulgarian Tennis Federation.

2011

Last year of playing ITF Junior Circuit tournaments – it is most successful at this level. Kuzmanov became European vice-champion at 2011 European Junior Championships for Boys U18 – Klosters, Switzerland and played Doubles Semi-final (Partnering with Miki Jamkovic, SRB) at 2011 ITF Roland Garos Junior Championships – Paris, France. 2011 is important as the year of Dimitar Kuzmanov’s first participation at Davis Cup Event (vs. Belarus and later vs. Cyprus).

2012

This year is assessed with the first doubles title at ITF Futures F10 Tournament – Antalya, Turkey (Partnering with Tihomir Grozdanov, BUL). Late in season, he played few singles and doubles finals and semi-finals at ITF Futures tournaments. As a Davis Cup player he played vs. Albania, Georgia and Macedonia.

2013

First singles title at Greece F5 ITF Futures Tournament (vs. Andrew Whittington (AUS) 6-1 6-2).

Late in season, he won one more singles title at Greece F15 ITF Futures Tournament (vs. Torsten Wietoska (GER) 6-1 6-2) and played few singles and doubles finals and semi finals at ITF Futures tournaments.

First participation in QDS at ATP Challenger Tour – Petange Challenger, Luxembourg. As a Davis Cup player he played vs. Finland and Estonia.

2014

First participation in MDS at ATP Challenger Tour – Istanbul Challenger, Turkey. Late in season, he won 4 singles titles and 1 doubles title, played few singles and doubles finals and semi-finals at ITF Futures tournaments.

2015

In 2015 Kuzmanov continued to play ITF Futures tournaments and reached 8 singles finals, winning 5 titles and 4 doubles finals, winning 3 titles, as well as he played 2 singles and 2 doubles semi-finals. Late in season, he made his debut in QDS at ATP World Tour 250 tournament Istanbul Open and reached QF at ATP Challenger tour Sibiu Open, Romania. As a Davis Cup player he played vs. Latvia, Luxembourg and Hungary.

2016

Kuzmanov received a wild card for ATP World Tour 250 tournament Sofia Open and made his ATP main draw debut, losing in three sets by the world No. 96 Ričardas Berankis. Partnering with Alexander Lazov (BUL) he played vs. future tournament champions Matwe Middelkoop and Wesley Koolhof, losing in three sets. Late in season, he played five singles finals, one doubles final, one singles and one doubles semi-finals at ITF Futures level, as well as QF at ATP Challenger Tour Marburg Open, Germany. As a Davis Cup player Kuzmanov played vs. Turkey and was nominated to play vs. Tunisia, but he didn't play because of trauma.

Singles titles

Doubles titles

Individual awards

Davis Cup

Dimitar Kuzmanov debuted for the Bulgaria Davis Cup team in 2011. Since then he has 9 nominations with 11 ties played, his singles W/L record is 9–4 and doubles W/L record is 0–2 (9–6 overall).

Doubles (0–2)