Injury Ends Dimitrov's Dominant Wimbledon Run Against Sinner

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov gets treatment after he went down with an injury which forced him to retire injured from a fourth round men's singles match against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Grigor Dimitrov's promising run at Wimbledon came to a heartbreaking end on Monday evening as an injury forced him to retire from his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner. The Bulgarian was in scintillating form, leaving Sinner struggling for answers before his body betrayed him.

Dimitrov had previously commented on Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, stating, "They haven't seen the bad side of life in a way...they're the two greatest players at the moment by far." He also mused on their fearlessness, a quality that can diminish with age and experience.

However, on Centre Court, it was Dimitrov who displayed remarkable form. The 34-year-old dominated Sinner with powerful serves and aggressive groundstrokes, securing the first two sets 6-3, 7-5. At 2-2 in the third set, after two hours and eight minutes of intense play, the match took an unexpected turn.

Instead of potentially securing his first top-5 win since March of last year, and his first-ever victory against a World No. 1, Dimitrov clutched his chest. He informed Sinner that he had injured his pectoral muscle.

After a medical examination on the sidelines, Dimitrov was forced to concede the match, visibly distraught.

This marks the fifth consecutive Grand Slam where Dimitrov has failed to complete a match, a recurring theme that has plagued his career. He suffered similar fates at the Australian Open, French Open, and the previous year's Wimbledon and US Open.

The situation echoes his poignant words from the US Open: "You gotta be kidding me... of course!"

In his 20s, Dimitrov's physical fitness was a key asset, compensating for the absence of major titles. His athleticism and positive demeanor were defining characteristics, even during his semi-final appearance at the 2014 Wimbledon.

Now, that same body is failing him, again.

Prior to the match, Dimitrov had expressed optimism about his physical condition, stating, "I feel great. After three matches to be where I'm at physically, really gives me a good, positive and upbeat way to get out there and play my game."

He added, "That's all I want, is to put myself in those type of positions, to get out there and play against these guys right now. This is in a way the most important thing for me."

The impact of closing the roof after two sets due to fading sunlight remains debatable. However, Dimitrov's exceptional performance is undeniable.

Sinner, who had not dropped a set leading up to the fourth round and held a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over Dimitrov, appeared rattled from the start. He was broken in his opening service game and struggled to dictate play.

"I don't take this as a win, at all," said Sinner, revealing his own injury concerns. "This is just a very unfortunate moment to witness for all of us."

Dimitrov's pre-match reflections add a layer of irony to his unfortunate exit: "This particular match for me, with all due respect, I don't rate it as ‘wow’ match. It's just another day for me to perform...It's been a difficult six, seven months for me. I put a lot of work. I've struggled a lot."

He continued, "That match has meaning for myself more so than anything else. But do I want to put any bigger occasion to it? No. I think I'm very content with what it is...The rest is having fun. This is important. We're in the second week of Wimbledon. Let's have fun.”

Unfortunately, that fun was cut short after two hours and eight minutes, leaving Dimitrov with yet another painful reminder of his physical fragility.