Jannik Sinner progressed to the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Monday after a tearful Grigor Dimitrov pulled out injured while in total control of the match while Novak Djokovic survived a scare.
World number one Sinner and seven-time champion Djokovic remain on course for a mouthwatering semifinal clash but the top seed's match on Centre Court was overshadowed by Dimitrov's heartbreak.
The Italian was staring at the exit door trailing 3-6, 5-7, 2-2 before the Bulgarian 19th seed pulled up holding his right pectoral muscle and was unable to continue.
Sinner rushed to his aid but his 34-year-old opponent was barely able to wave to acknowledge the crowd's warm ovation.
Jannik Sinner was there for his opponent in a cruel moment on Centre Court#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/HGIs5yOaD5
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
"Honestly I don't know what to say," said Sinner. "He is an incredible player, I think we all saw this today.
"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.
"Seeing him in this position, honestly, if there would be a chance that he could play the next round, he would deserve it."
"I don't take this as a win at all."
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
Jannik Sinner was full of respect for his friend Grigor Dimitrov after he was forced to retire.#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/bQTsxUM8Mu
The injury-prone Dimitrov has now been forced to retire in each of his past five Grand Slam appearances.
Sinner himself suffered a nasty fall in the opening game of the fourth-round clash and appeared to be suffering discomfort in his right elbow.
The three-time Grand Slam champion had been in regal form in the first three rounds at the All England Club, dropping just 17 games.
Sinner, who is due to face American 10th seed Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals, said he would be having an MRI scan on Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage to his elbow.
Shelton beat Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in four sets.
THE SHELTON SCREAM RETURNS 📣
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
No.10 seed Ben Shelton recovers from going a set down against Lorenzo Sonego to win 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 7-5 and reach his first #Wimbledon quarter-finals ➡️ pic.twitter.com/WOMG4htz52
FEDERER 'CURSE'
Earlier, sixth seed Djokovic endured a nightmare start to his match against Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur but battled back to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Fresh from his 100th win at Wimbledon on Saturday, making him the third player to achieve that feat after Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer, Djokovic reached his 16th quarterfinal at the tournament.
Aged 38, the Serb is aiming to win a record 25th major title, breaking a tie with the long-retired Margaret Court, and to equal Federer's record of eight men's crowns at the All England Club.
That would make him the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era.
Djokovic's 101st victory at Wimbledon came under the gaze of the Swiss great, who was sitting in the front row of the royal box alongside his wife Mirka.
#Wimbledon win number 101 for @DjokerNole 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9hV5fKhaei
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
"It's probably the first time he's watching me and I've won the match," he said. "The last couple I lost, so good to break the curse.
"No, it's great, obviously, great to have Roger, a huge champion and someone that I admired and respected a lot.
"We shared the stage for so many years, and it's great to have him back."
"It's probably the first time he's watched me and I won the match."
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
Novak Djokovic is relieved to get a win in front of Roger Federer 😅#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Q6H1G1p91p
In the last eight, Djokovic faces Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli, who beat former Wimbledon runner-up Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3).
'It's a maiden major quarter-final for Flavio Cobolli" 🥹
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
Italian Cobolli defeats Marin Cilic to reach the Last 8 of #Wimbledon for the first time, doing so by winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(3) 💥
Just look at what it means to him and his family ♥️ pic.twitter.com/LVLb9moNKI
In the women's draw, Iga Swiatek coninued her serene progress with a 6-4, 6-1 rout of Danish 23rd seed Clara Tauson.
Swiatek, fourth in the rankings, is a five-time Grand Slam winner but has never made a Wimbledon semifinal.
The 24-year-old is in a strong position in the second week of the tournament after the exit of so many of the top seeds.
"Honestly it's pretty amazing. It's the first time I really enjoyed London, sorry guys," Swiatek said, referring to her previous Wimbledon woes.
"We are tennis players, so we feel well off the court when we feel well on the court."
Feeling good on the court = Feeling good off the court! 🤝#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/cHjP1EHbXk
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
The Polish player next faces Russian 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who beat Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5, 7-5.
Onto the next ➡️
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
Liudmila Samsonova advances to the quarter-finals of #Wimbledon after a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on No.2 Court ⚡️
Still yet to drop a set at The Championships 2025 👀 pic.twitter.com/0nin6byfnZ
Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva, 18, reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time with a 6-2, 6-3 win against American 10th seed Emma Navarro, who ended Barbora Krejcikova's reign as champion on Saturday.
Marvellous Mirra 🤩
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
The 18-year-old shines on her Centre Court debut, booking a place in the #Wimbledon QF pic.twitter.com/Dj5SIb5s1C
Andreeva next plays Swiss former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, who beat Russian world number 17 Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
What a moment ✨
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
In her ninth appearance at The Championships, Belinda Bencic reaches her first QF at SW19 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/QgprKB6lDL