Grigor Dimitrov wants to take a short break following third-round exit

Grigor Dimitrov wants to take a break following his third-round exit at the French Open.

The 26-year-old Bulgarian fell 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 to Fernando Verdasco, saying he didn't hold "his nerve" following the first set.

"It's a shame, because physically I felt good," said Dimitrov, who had won his second-round match 10-8 in the fifth set.

Dimitrov is ranked No. 5 but has never reached the second week at the French Open, and came into the tournament having dropped his opener at both Madrid and Rome.

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"I really expected to play better on the clay," he said. "Even in the Madrid, Rome, Paris, all matches, I had everything to win.

"I definitely need to take some time off now to kind of reassess the whole clay-court season.”

He has time now to rest up for the grass-court season, which has been a little kinder to him in the past. Dimitrov was a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2014.

"I think that's going to be the No. 1 priority for me now, to kind of step [away] from tennis for a little bit, try to watch some matches and sort of try to progress."

But he doesn't plan to stop working.

"I don't want to get too down on myself," he said. "I have always been a positive thinker, and I want to keep that on the same level right now.

"Also, in tennis you never know, one week can always turn things around for you."

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