Roger Federer witnessed an emotional and unexpected moment on Centre Court at Wimbledon when Grigor Dimitrov collapsed mid-match with a severe pectoral muscle injury during his round of 16 battle with world number one Jannik Sinner. The Swiss legend, who was seated with his wife Mirka in the Royal Box for his third consecutive Wimbledon visit since retiring in 2022, looked visibly shocked as he rose from his seat while medical staff attended to Dimitrov.
Earlier in the day, Federer enjoyed watching Novak Djokovic defeat Alex de Minaur to reach another men’s singles quarter-final, followed by teenager Mirra Andreeva’s triumph over Emma Navarro. But the final match delivered a heartbreaking turn as Dimitrov, who had won the first two sets and appeared on course for his first Wimbledon quarter-final since 2014, suddenly fell to the grass holding his chest in agony after serving an ace at 2-2 in the third set.
The Bulgarian star shouted “My pec! My pec!” as he clutched his chest, leaving Centre Court in stunned silence. Medical assistance arrived quickly and a concerned Federer was captured standing with clear worry on his face — images that rapidly went viral across social media, showing his empathy for the stricken player. Dimitrov attempted to continue but was unable to compete and tearfully conceded the match moments later, acknowledging the supportive ovation from the crowd with a subdued wave.
This latest injury marks a worrying pattern for Dimitrov, who has now retired hurt in each of his last five Grand Slam events. His opponent Jannik Sinner praised Dimitrov’s resilience and talent, saying: “He’s an incredible player and such a good friend off court too. He’s been so unlucky in recent years. If he could somehow keep playing he would deserve the next round.”
With this emotional exit behind him, Sinner now advances to face America’s Ben Shelton, who defeated Lorenzo Sonego in four sets to secure his place in the men’s singles quarter-finals at Wimbledon 2025.