Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov (R) speaks with Italy’s Jannik Sinner (L) after getting injured during their men’s singles fourth round tennis match on the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
Jannik Sinner progressed to the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Monday after a tearful Grigor Dimitrov pulled out injured while in total control of the match.
World number one Sinner and seven-time champion Novak Djokovic remain on course for a mouthwatering semifinal clash but the top seed’s match on Centre Court was overshadowed by Dimitrov’s heartbreak.
READ: Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner on collision course
A sight we never want to see.
Grigor Dimitrov is forced to retire while leading two sets to love. Everyone at #Wimbledon is wishing you a speedy recovery, Grigor 💚💜 pic.twitter.com/qBwiMbq3e2
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
The Italian was staring at the exit door trailing 3-6, 5-7, 2-2 before the Bulgarian 19th seed pulled up holding his right pectoral muscle and was unable to continue.
Sinner rushed to his aid but his 34-year-old opponent was barely able to wave to acknowledge the crowd’s warm ovation.
“Honestly I don’t know what to say,” said Sinner. “He is an incredible player, I think we all saw this today.
“He’s been so unlucky in the past couple of years. An incredible player, a good friend of mine also. We understand each other very well off the court too.
“Seeing him in this position, honestly, if there would be a chance that he could play the next round, he would deserve it.”
READ: Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner equals mark for dominance in first three rounds
The injury-prone Dimitrov has now been forced to retire in each of his past five Grand Slam appearances.
Sinner himself suffered a nasty fall in the opening game of the fourth-round clash and appeared to be suffering discomfort in his right elbow.
The three-time Grand Slam champion had been in regal form in the first three rounds at the All England Club, dropping just 17 games.
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Sinner, who is due to face American 10th seed Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals, said he would be having an MRI scan on Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage to his elbow.
Shelton beat Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in four sets.