Bulgaria's new Minster for Culture was national champion in doubles with Grigor Dimitrov

Atanas Atanasov, Bulgaria's new Minister for Culture, tried his hand at tennis when he was a youngster and even partnered with Grigor Dimitrov. Atanasov teamed up with the World No. 28 and won the National Doubles Championship when he was only 14 years old.

The two have taken contrasting paths since then. Atanasov was active in tennis for a while but did not pursue it as a full-time profession. Instead, he decided to go to the United States to attend college.

According to New Fox 24, Atanasov joined Whitman University in Washington on a full scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in performing arts. He is an actor but directs documentaries as well.

The 31-year-old has lived in a number of locations including London, Berlin and Hollywood. He has also visited the village of Tatarevo in Bulgaria where his grandmother lives.

Disappointed with its depopulation, Atanasov attempted to restore the community center and organise a cultural event. By telling his overseas friends about the scenic beauty and depopulation of Bulgarian villages, he attracted them to the cause and managed to gain a number of volunteers.

Over $15,000 was raised for the restoration of the community center. It now serves as a stage for a number of cultural events, including a festival "Unlock" that was founded by Atanasov. The 31-year-old's efforts became the subject of a documentary film called "Unlock the Stage".

Dimitrov, on the other hand, remained involved in tennis. The Bulgarian turned professional in 2008 but did not make much of an impact until the mid-2010s. Dimitrov reached the top 10 of the ATP rankings in 2015 after winning three titles and reaching the semifinals of the Italian Open, Canadian Open and Wimbledon.

The Bulgarian slid down the rankings following a poor run of form in 2015 and 2016, but returned to the top 10 soon enough and cracked the top 3 in 2017.

The next few years were topsy-turvy for Dimitrov as he reached the semifinals and quarterfinals of a few Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events but also crashed out early in a number of tournaments.

What's in store for Grigor Dimitrov in 2022?

Dimitrov finished 2021 ranked 28th

The Bulgarian struggled with injuries in 2021 but had a few good moments, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters. He ended the season ranked 28.

Dimitrov will begin his 2022 season at the ATP 250 tournament in Melbourne following which he will shift his focus to the Australian Open. The Bulgarian reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne last year, before suffering back spasms and losing to Aslan Karatsev.