Dimitrov's Wimbledon Hopes Crushed: Injury Forces Retirement After 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 evening as he was forced to retire injured during his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner. The Bulgarian, who was leading 6-3, 7-5, 2-2, succumbed to a pectoral muscle injury, leaving the crowd stunned and Sinner advancing to the next round.

Prior to the match, Dimitrov had spoken about the fearlessness of young players like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. "They haven't seen the bad side of life in a way...they were playing the final [in Paris] and neither one of them had ever lost the final of a Slam. It's kind of funny when you hear it...then why wouldn’t you be fearless?" he remarked.

However, on Centre Court, it was Dimitrov who displayed the more dominant game early on. He was serving powerfully and dictating play from both wings, leaving Sinner struggling to find answers. The Bulgarian's strategy of attacking Sinner's backhand proved particularly effective.

But just as Dimitrov appeared poised to secure his first top-5 win since March of last year, and his first ever against a World No. 1, disaster struck. He clutched his chest, signaling a problem with his pectoral muscle. After receiving medical attention, he was forced to concede the match, much to his disappointment.

This marks the fifth consecutive Grand Slam that Dimitrov has failed to complete a match, a frustrating pattern that also plagued him at the Australian Open, French Open, and last year's Wimbledon and US Open.

The injury is especially cruel considering Dimitrov's previous comments about his physical condition. After his third-round victory, he expressed feeling "great" physically, adding that he was eager to compete against the top players. "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,” he stated.

While the closing of the roof after two sets due to fading sunlight might have played a minor role, there's no denying the high quality of tennis Dimitrov displayed before the injury. He had completely disrupted Sinner's rhythm, who had entered the match without dropping a set and with a favorable head-to-head record against Dimitrov (4-1).

Sinner himself acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the situation. “I don't take this as a win, at all,” he said, revealing his own injury concerns. “This is just a very unfortunate moment to witness for all of us.”

Dimitrov's pre-match words now carry a poignant weight, highlighting the cruel irony of his situation. "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...That match has meaning for myself more so than anything else...The rest is having fun...Let's have fun.” Sadly, the fun was cut short due to yet another physical setback for the talented Bulgarian.