Sinner approaches Dimitrov after he retired in the third set of their fourth-round Wimbledon match on Centre Court at the All England Club, London, England on 7/7. Photo: Reuters

Sinner's surprising two-set deficit stemmed from a fall in the opening game, which injured his elbow. The Italian lost the game despite reaching deuce twice. The injury affected his serve, causing him to lose the next service game as well. This proved to be the turning point of the first set, as both players held serve afterwards and Dimitrov won 6-3.

While Sinner struggled physically and tactically, Dimitrov showcased his grass-court prowess with a potent serve and accurate forehands. In the second set, Dimitrov hit seven aces among his 16 winners, taking a 4-2 lead after capitalizing on a break point in Sinner's first service game. Towards the end of the set, both players lost further service games, and Dimitrov eventually won 7-5 after missing two set points.

Despite seemingly having Sinner on the ropes, Dimitrov experienced a setback in the fourth game of the third set. After hitting a good volley to reach 40-0, the 19th seed clutched his chest in pain. Dimitrov managed to serve an ace on the next point and win the game, but then collapsed due to a right pectoral muscle injury. Despite receiving medical attention, Dimitrov was unable to continue and left the court in tears.

"It's unfortunate for him, and I hope he recovers soon," Sinner said after the match. "I don't consider this a win. Dimitrov has struggled with injuries at many major tournaments, which is a shame because we don't get to see his full potential. I know he's one of the hardest-working players on tour."

Dimitrov has now retired mid-match in five consecutive Grand Slams, a record in the sport's history. Last month, he retired from his first-round match at Roland Garros due to a thigh injury, and earlier this year, he retired from the Australian Open due to a groin injury. He has retired from 10 matches in the 59 Grand Slams he has played.

Sinner, meanwhile, reached his fourth consecutive Wimbledon quarterfinal and will face another big server, Ben Shelton. The 22-year-old American earlier came back from a set down to defeat Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 7-5.

However, Sinner will undergo an MRI scan to assess his injury. "It doesn't seem like a serious injury, but I still feel discomfort," he said. "Tomorrow I'll evaluate the situation, especially my serve and forehand."

Vy Anh