Heroic defeat: Sinner fails at Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner has to give up his dream of winning the most important tennis tournament in the world. However, his exit at Wimbledon was one that left spectators on their feet for four hours and even required a doctor to intervene.

July 09, 2024

From: fop

World number one Jannik Sinner had to give way to former world number one Daniil Medvedev (ATP 5) in the quarterfinals. The badly injured South Tyrolean lost after almost four hours of play with 7:6, 4:6, 6:7, 6:2 and 3:6.

Sinner was bid farewell from the Wimbledon stage with much applause, even though he did not play his very best tennis on Tuesday. However, he fought back again and again after health problems, several setbacks and a bitter set loss in the tiebreak. In the deciding set, a flawless Medvedev had the stamina.

The marathon match on Center Court began just as the Pusterer wanted, with short, powerful rallies - and a tiebreak in the first set. For the ninth (!) time in a row, he won this extra game with incredible nerves and a score of 9:7. After that, however, Sinner slipped into a slump. The 28-year-old Eastern European took advantage of this moment and won almost all of the increasingly long rallies from the baseline. The result? Medvedev won his first set 6:4.

Sinner collapses

Nothing was going right for Sinner. After losing his serve again to make it 1:2 in the third set, he called the physio onto the court. The 22-year-old seemed to be staggering. His pulse was therefore measured before he disappeared into the catacombs for around five minutes.

Jannik Sinner had to struggle with health problems. © APA/afp / HENRY NICHOLLS

Sinner still seemed a little under the weather when he returned to the court, but a change of tactics brought him back into the match. He varied his game more clearly, repeatedly throwing in stop balls and luring Medvedev out of his reserve. With his first break after two and a half hours of play, Sinner made it 5:5 and shortly afterwards forced a tiebreak that was no longer thought possible. This time, however, the Russian had the better nerves. He ended Sinner's tiebreak series with 7:4.

The comeback sinner

But Jannik Sinner wouldn't be Jannik Sinner if he didn't have the right answer to this setback. With furious tennis and two breaks in a row, he won the fourth set 6:2. So it went into the decisive fifth round. There, Sinner's health was noticeable, but also the fact that Medvedev had been on court for almost two and a half hours less in the tournament so far. The man from Moscow seemed physically and mentally fresher. He broke to 3:1, but Sinner was unable to make up the deficit until the final 6:3.

While Medvedev is now playing against Carlos Alcaraz for a place in the final, Sinner has to pack his bags after his seventh defeat in the twelfth duel with the Russian. For the third time in a row he was in the quarterfinals of the most important tennis tournament in the world, but this time he was denied a place in the semifinals like last year.