Top-Ranked Jannik Sinner Catches Unbelievable Break To Advance At Wimbledon
Grigor Dimitrov suffered an injury and had to retire despite holding a huge lead in the match
Most people expected Jannik Sinner, the No. 1 player in the world, to advance to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon on Monday. However, no one could have predicted exactly how he would do it.
Sinner found himself in a matchup against Grigor Dimitrov, an extremely talented player who was once ranked third in the world. But Dimitrov has battled injuries throughout his career, particularly over the past year. He became the first player to retire mid-match in four straight major championships.
Dimitrov appeared healthy on Monday at Wimbledon, though, and had Sinner on the ropes. Dimitrov showcased his immense talent and shocked the top-ranked player by winning both the first and second sets.
Unfortunately, in the fourth game of the third set – one that Dimitrov won – the 34-year-old Bulgarian grabbed his chest and dropped to the court in pain. Trainers came out immediately, and Dimitrov could be seen saying, "My pec, my pec." Even Sinner came over to check on Dimitrov while he was down on the court.
Despite trailing two sets to zero, Jannik Sinner advanced at Wimbledon after his opponent, Grigor Dimitrov, was forced to retire due to an injury.
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
While Dimitrov was down and grabbing his pec, he started laughing. It seemed like it was the type of laugh where he had no choice because he knew what was coming. Seemed like a "here we go again" laugh where you try to console yourself to keep from expressing the true emotions.
Medical professionals attended to Dimitrov for several minutes before taking him into the locker room. A few minutes later, Dimitrov emerged and signaled that he could not continue. He retired from the tournament, the fifth straight time he's been forced out of a major tournament due to injury.
After the match, Sinner expressed disappointment for his opponent and friend, understanding how injuries have derailed a once-promising career.
While Sinner admitted that he doesn't "take this as a win," it is a win nonetheless, and he advances to face American Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon on Wednesday.