Jannik Sinner’s path to the Wimbledon semifinals took an unexpected turn when Grigor Dimitrov retired with injury, but the world No. 1 now faces his own health concerns. After falling on his elbow in the opening game, Sinner struggled through two sets before getting a lucky break that sent him into the quarterfinals.
What Did Jannik Sinner Say About His Elbow Injury After His Wimbledon Fourth-Round Win?
Both players left Centre Court nursing injuries, but Sinner’s elbow problem started much earlier in the match. The 23-year-old Italian fell and landed hard on his right elbow during the very first game, an incident that would affect his performance throughout the contest.
The impact was immediate and significant. Sinner dropped the opening set 6-3 and found himself trailing 3-2 in the second set before taking a medical timeout for the elbow injury. Despite the treatment, Dimitrov continued his strong play and claimed the second set 7-5, putting Sinner in a precarious position.
During his post-match press conference, the world No. 1 described the fall as particularly troublesome for his two most important shots. The elbow injury specifically hampered his serve and forehand, two weapons that are crucial to his aggressive playing style.
“It happened very early in the match. First game. Quite unfortunate fall. Checked the videos a bit. It didn’t seem like a tough one but I still felt it quite a lot. Especially on the serve and forehand. I could feel it. Let’s see. Tomorrow we are gonna check to see how it is. Let’s see,” he said.
Jannik Sinner was asked about his elbow injury during the match against Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon
“Can you tell us exactly what happened with your elbow on that fall?”
Jannik: “It happened very early in the match. First game. Quite unfortunate fall. Checked the videos a bit.… pic.twitter.com/5QyIiLjVNu
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 7, 2025
The severity of the injury remains unknown, prompting Sinner to schedule medical imaging. He confirmed that he would undergo an MRI to determine whether the elbow sustained any serious damage that could affect his upcoming matches.
“Here they have good ATP physios, in any case. The doctor’s good. As I said, tomorrow we are going to check with MRI to see if there’s something serious, and then we try to adjust it,” he said later in the press conference.
Meanwhile, Dimitrov had been playing exceptional tennis before his injury struck. The Bulgarian was serving with precision and power, firing 14 aces during the match and using the windy conditions to his advantage.
He held serve to level the third set at 2-2, but then suddenly collapsed while holding his right pectoral muscle. Although Dimitrov attempted to continue after a brief timeout, he could not carry on and was forced to retire, handing Sinner an unexpected passage into the quarterfinals.
How Did Sinner React to Dimitrov’s Unfortunate Retirement?
Despite benefiting from his opponent’s misfortune, Sinner showed genuine concern for Dimitrov’s wellbeing. The Italian praised the Bulgarian’s performance during their post-match press conference, highlighting the quality of tennis that made the injury retirement even more disappointing.
Sinner specifically commended Dimitrov’s serving ability and tactical awareness. The world No. 1 noted how well his opponent had prepared for the match and executed his game plan, particularly in the challenging windy conditions on Centre Court.
“He served incredibly well. Very precise, also very fast. Changed up the game very, very well. It was a bit breezy, and he used the wind in the best possible way. I could feel that he prepared the match in a very good way, and he executed even better. He was playing some great tennis… I think he’s showing his potential. It’s very unfortunate, as I said on court. I wish him a speedy recovery,” he said.
The victory, though bittersweet, marked another milestone in Sinner’s career. With this advancement to the quarterfinals, he became the ninth man in the Open Era to reach seven consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals, demonstrating his consistency at the highest level of tennis.
Looking ahead, Sinner will face Ben Shelton of the United States in the quarterfinals. The American earned his spot by defeating Lorenzo Sonego, Sinner’s compatriot, in a four-set battle. However, the head-to-head record heavily favors the Italian, who leads their rivalry 5-1 and won their most recent encounter in the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open.
More: What Exactly Happened to Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon? Tennis World in Shock After Bizarre End to Jannik Sinner Match
