If Jannik Sinner secures his first Wimbledon championship this weekend, he may reflect on this moment as a turning point.
The top-ranked player was down two sets—6-3, 7-5, 2-2—against an in-form Grigor Dimitrov when the Bulgarian struck an ace and then collapsed, clutching his pectoral muscle. Realizing his tournament was over, Dimitrov took a brief medical break before retiring in tears, shaking Sinner’s hand as he exited.
Sinner now advances to a quarter-final against Ben Shelton, the American who reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final with a four-set victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. While Sinner would have preferred a different path, he remains in contention—and perhaps now believes fortune favors him.
“This doesn’t feel like a win at all—just an unfortunate moment,” said the world No 1. “He’s had injury struggles in majors before, so seeing this again is tough. His reaction shows how much he cares and how hard he works. No one wanted this ending. If he could’ve continued, he’d have earned it. I hope he recovers quickly.”
The loss was harsh on Dimitrov, who had been in control with 36 winners before the injury. This marks his fifth consecutive grand slam withdrawal due to physical issues.
Earlier, it was Sinner who appeared to struggle, rubbing his elbow and taking a medical timeout in the second set. Dimitrov, at 34, was playing some of his best tennis, excelling on serve—dropping only eight first-serve points—and using precise slices to disrupt Sinner on grass, his least favored surface.
Prior to this, Dimitrov had made only one Wimbledon quarter-final, in 2014, when he defeated Andy Murray en route to the semifinals. But for over two sets, he was flawless, showcasing Federer-esque volleys that even drew admiration from the Swiss legend in the stands. His varied skill set forced Sinner into rare mistakes.
Dimitrov broke early to lead 3-0 in the first set and never relented. Another early break put him ahead in the second set, though Sinner briefly leveled at 5-5 before Dimitrov regained control to take the set.
The roof closed after the second set, eliminating the wind that had troubled Sinner. At 2-2...
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