Grigor Dimitrov's Wimbledon campaign ended in heartbreak as he was forced to retire during his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner. The Bulgarian was leading the world No. 1 by two sets, 6-3, 7-5, when disaster struck in the third set at 2-2.
Dimitrov appeared to injure his right pectoral muscle while serving. After serving an ace to win the game, he immediately clutched his chest and fell to the ground. Sinner and medical staff quickly rushed to his aid. Dimitrov left the court for a short period to receive treatment, but he was unable to continue. He returned to shake hands with Sinner and retire from the match, receiving a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd as he left the court in tears.
The exact nature and severity of Dimitrov's injury are not yet fully known, as he did not complete any media commitments following the match. However, reports suggest it is a muscle injury. Prior to the tournament, Dimitrov had pulled out of Queen's due to an injury but had declared himself "pain-free" and fit after his third-round win at Wimbledon.
This is the fifth consecutive Grand Slam tournament in which Dimitrov has been forced to retire mid-match due to injury. He also retired at the Australian Open, French Open, and both the 2024 Wimbledon and US Open. At the French Open, he retired in the first round against Ethan Quinn. This unfortunate streak has led some to dub him as having achieved a "Medical Slam".
Sinner, who had been struggling with an apparent elbow injury of his own after a fall earlier in the match, showed great sportsmanship by immediately going to Dimitrov's side to offer assistance and support. Sinner will now advance to the quarter-finals.