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Two sets up, then out: Grigor Dimitrov's unfortunate retirement puts Jannik Sinner in quarters
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon after Grigor Dimitrov's retirement during the third set of their encounter. The Bulgarian, a former World No. 3, was on the verge of delivering a major upset in an excellent performance, but an injury forced him to withdraw.

These were tough moments for Dimitrov, who was about to strike a significant blow in the tournament. Dimitrov, who has now retired from the last four Grand Slams, could not continue after damaging his right pectoral while serving to close the game at 2-2 in the third set.

The Bulgarian remained sprawled on the grass and was attended to by medics, who took him into the locker room for more in-depth treatment. After a few minutes inside, he came out crying and decided to retire from the match.

The first set had been almost impeccable for Dimitrov on his first serve, with 95% effectiveness compared to Sinner's 79%. The Bulgarian capitalized on an early break and then held his serve to take a 6-3 lead.

In the second set, the surprise grew when Dimitrov took the lead with an early break, putting him up 2-0. Sinner managed to show good service games for the rest of the set, but it was never enough on return to jeopardize his opponent's serve. Dimitrov had the chance to serve for the set at 5-4, when Sinner got his first break point, which he converted, leveling the score at 5-5. However, the Italian hesitated in the final part, lost his serve in the next game, and Dimitrov took the second set 7-5.

The third set was still developing without breaks, and with the score at 2-2, when the injury forced Dimitrov to retire. This marks the 5th consecutive Grand Slam where Dimitrov has had to retire due to injury. Sinner advanced to the next round with some fortune, as he continues his pursuit of his fourth Grand Slam title. Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals and will play against Ben Shelton, who dispatched Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.

Match Statistics Sinner vs. Dimitrov


Other

Return

Service
Sinner VS Dimitrov
4 Aces 14
3 Double Faults 3
58% (34/59) 1st Service Percentage 58% (49/85)
82% (28/34) 1st Service Points Won 84% (41/49)
44% (11/25) 2nd Service Points Won 50% (18/36)
40% (2/5) Break Points Saved 50% (1/2)
75% (9/12) Service Games 92% (12/13)
16% (8/49) 1st Return Points Won 18% (6/34)
50% (18/36) 2nd Return Points Won 56% (14/25)
- Break Points Saved -
2h 03m Match Duration 2h 03m

This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.

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