Dimitrov most recently retired from the first round of the French Open with a thigh injury while holding a 6-2, 6-3, 2-6 lead over American Ethan Quinn. He retired from Wimbledon in the fourth round in 2024 with an abductor tear. He trailed Daniil Medvedev, 5-3, in the first set at the time of that injury.

Follow our analysis and reactions from day eight at Wimbledon as Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic moved into the quarterfinals

Dimitrov was playing fantastic tennis, running Sinner around the court and delivering booming serves. Dimitrov won the first set 6-3 and survived a hard-charging comeback attempt from the Italian in the second to take the set 7-5 and put the world No. 1 in a desperate position.