THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB, LONDON — At a time when men’s tennis feels inevitable, Monday at Wimbledon offered a reminder of the lightning that can strike in top-level sport.
Grigor Dimitrov proved that the seemingly invulnerable world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is actually fallible, before suffering an apparent pectoral injury that forced him to retire with a two-sets-to-love lead. He had just served an ace to hold for 2-2 in the third set, and was playing one of the best matches of his long career, when he collapsed to the Centre Court turf. It looked instantly serious, especially when Sinner ran over to see if he was OK.
He wasn’t, and after going off court it was all over a few minutes later. Sinner was through. He survived unscathed, but the cloak of invincibility had been ripped off his back in the preceding few hours, during which time Dimitrov had blasted through his normally impregnable defences and made him look unusually human.
There was randomness in getting to that point as well. Sinner landed awkwardly in the first game and hurt his elbow, leaving him looking compromised at various points until he called for the trainer midway through the second set, trailing by a set and a break.
Ultimately it was Dimitrov who had to withdraw, retiring hurt from his fifth straight Grand Slam. His career has had some great highs, like becoming the world No. 3, winning the ATP Finals and reaching three major semifinals. But he will be remembered, fairly or otherwise, for coming so close, but never seeming to have luck on his side.
It will be no consolation to Dimitrov, but his heroics on Centre Court on Monday have given men’s tennis a jolt. There was a risk that Sinner and Alcaraz were going to enjoy a procession to the final. They have evenly split the last six majors and played at such an extraordinary level in the Roland Garros final last month that it felt as though no one could get near them. Other than Novak Djokovic, who was also tested Monday, trailing by a set to Alex de Minaur and having to battle from 4-1 down in the fourth to avoid a decider.
Even in a Wimbledon of upsets, Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic had emerged unscathed from a chaotic first week. They may well remain unscathed for the rest of the tournament until they meet, and Wimbledon may still end up with a Sinner vs. Alcaraz final. But after 18 months of dominance at the top of the sport, a reminder that strange things can happen at any moment, even at the majors, is welcome.
One of those three could suffer an injury as Dimitrov did. One of them could suffer an off-day in the face of a peaking opponent. Sinner and Alcaraz felt like the only certainties left in the sport, until Dimitrov came along. Should they now meet in Sunday’s final, that will feel less inevitable than it would have otherwise. That is something to be appreciated, and Sinner won’t be taking anything for granted after this scare. Nor will anyone else in the draw.
(Photo: Shi Tang / Getty Images)
