SAVED BY THE BELL

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Jannik Sinner progressed to the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Monday after a tearful Grigor Dimitrov pulled out injured while in total control of the match while Novak Djokovic survived a scare.

World No. 1 Sinner and seven-time champion Djokovic remain on course for a mouthwatering semifinal clash but the top seed’s match on Centre Court was overshadowed by Dimitrov’s heartbreak.

The Italian was staring at the exit door trailing 3-6, 5-7, 2-2 before the Bulgarian 19th seed pulled up holding his right pectoral muscle and was unable to continue.

Sinner rushed to his aid but his 34-year-old opponent was barely able to wave to acknowledge the crowd’s warm ovation.

“Honestly I don’t know what to say,” Sinner said.

“He is an incredible player, I think we all saw this today.”

“He’s been so unlucky in the past couple of years. An incredible player, a good friend of mine also. We understand each other very well off the court, too.”

“Seeing him in this position, honestly, if there would be a chance that he could play the next round, he would deserve it.”

The injury-prone Dimitrov has now been forced to retire in each of his past five Grand Slam appearances.

Sinner himself suffered a nasty fall in the opening game of the fourth-round clash and appeared to be suffering discomfort in his right elbow.

The three-time Grand Slam champion had been in regal form in the first three rounds at the All England Club, dropping just 17 games.

Sinner, who is due to face American 10th seed Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals, said he would be having an MRI scan on Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage to his elbow.

Shelton beat Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in four sets.

Earlier, sixth seed Djokovic endured a nightmare start to his match against Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur but battled back to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Fresh from his 100th win at Wimbledon on Saturday, making him the third player to achieve that feat after Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer, Djokovic reached his 16th quarterfinal at the tournament.

Aged 38, the Serbian is aiming to win a record 25th major title, breaking a tie with the long-retired Margaret Court, and to equal Federer’s record of eight men’s crowns at the All England Club.

That would make him the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era.

Djokovic’s 101st victory at Wimbledon came under the gaze of the Swiss great, who was sitting in the front row of the royal box alongside his wife Mirka.

“It’s probably the first time he’s watching me and I’ve won the match,” he said.

“The last couple I lost, so good to break the curse.”