Sinner Advances to Wimbledon Quarterfinals After Dimitrov Retirement Due to Injury; Sinner Awaits MRI Results

Jannik Sinner progressed to the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Monday, but the victory was bittersweet. After falling awkwardly and injuring his right elbow in the first game, and then dropping the first two sets, his opponent, Grigor Dimitrov, retired in the third set due to a pectoral muscle injury.

Sinner expressed concern about his own injury and stated that he would undergo an MRI on Tuesday. "There is some concern," he admitted.

The top-seeded Sinner had not lost a set in the tournament until he found himself trailing Dimitrov, seeded No. 19, by a score of 6-3, 7-5. However, at 2-all in the third set, Dimitrov was forced to stop playing.

"I don't take this as a win, at all," Sinner said during the post-match interview. "This is just a very unfortunate moment to witness for all of us."

This marks the fifth consecutive Grand Slam tournament where Dimitrov has been unable to finish a match, making it the longest streak of its kind in the Open era. He had previously retired at the Australian Open in January, the French Open in May, and both Wimbledon and the US Open last year.

The match concluded abruptly when Dimitrov served, clutched his chest, and crouched down on the grass. Sinner immediately went to his aid.

"My pec," Dimitrov explained.

Dimitrov, a three-time major semifinalist, including at Wimbledon in 2014, received medical attention on the sideline. After a brief consultation with a trainer and doctor, he retired from the match.

Earlier in the match, Sinner himself had suffered a fall in the opening game, injuring his right elbow. He received treatment during a medical timeout in the second set.

Assuming Sinner is able to continue, he is scheduled to face No. 10 Ben Shelton of the United States in the quarterfinals. Sinner holds a 5-1 lead in their head-to-head record, having won their last five encounters in straight sets.

Sinner had only dropped a mere 17 games in the tournament prior to Monday, tying the Open era record for the fewest games lost by a man through three completed matches at Wimbledon.

The match was briefly paused to close the stadium roof due to dwindling daylight after Sinner fell behind by two sets.

Dimitrov's retirement marked the 10th of his career at a major tournament.

"He's been so unlucky in the past couple of years. An incredible player. A good friend of mine, also. We understand each other very well, off the court, too," Sinner commented. "I hope he has a speedy recovery."