Dimitrov's Wimbledon Run Ends in Agony: Injury Forces Retirement Despite Dominating 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 after an injury forced him to retire from his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner, despite playing some of the best tennis of his career.

Just days before the match, Dimitrov had offered his thoughts 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 mused on their fearlessness, adding, "But then with age, we all know that fear comes very differently. It creeps in."

However, it was Dimitrov's own physical vulnerability that would ultimately decide his fate on Centre Court.

The Bulgarian veteran had been in scintillating form, completely outplaying Sinner in the opening sets. Dimitrov's powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes had the Italian struggling to find answers. He won the first two sets 6-3, 7-5 and the score was 2-2 in the third set with two hours and eight minutes played when disaster struck.

Instead of securing what would have been his first top-5 win since March of last year and his first ever against a World No. 1, Dimitrov clutched his chest with his left hand, crouched down, and sat on the grass. "My pec," Dimitrov told Sinner, referring to his pectoral muscle.

Medical staff attended to him, but after a few minutes, the world No. 21 was forced to concede, his Wimbledon journey over.

This marks the fifth consecutive Grand Slam where Dimitrov has failed to complete a match, a worrying trend for the 34-year-old. He suffered similar fates at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon last year and the US Open.

It is a cruel twist of fate for a player whose physical prowess was once his greatest asset. Even though major titles eluded him, his athleticism and positive mindset were defining characteristics.

Even more poignant were Dimitrov's pre-match comments about his physical condition. "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 said. "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."

While the impact of closing the roof after two sets due to fading sunlight remains a talking point, the quality of Dimitrov's tennis was undeniable.

Sinner, who had not dropped a set and conceded only 17 games en route to the fourth round, and held a 4-1 head-to-head record against Dimitrov, was completely thrown off his game.

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

Dimitrov's philosophical outlook before the match makes his exit even more heart-wrenching. "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," he said. "It's been a difficult six, seven months for me. I put a lot of work. I've struggled a lot... 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, leaving Dimitrov with yet another Grand Slam disappointment due to injury.