Sport is a cruel mistress. That’s true as a fan, but it can be even more pronounced as an athlete. Just as you come closer to the promised land and the spoils of hard labor seem reachable, the game can taketh with swift inhumanity. Such was the case this week at Wimbledon, where singles fields winnow from 128 participants to one champion. Which means that everyone but one elite athlete leaves on a loss and feeling at least some measure of disappointment. Perhaps no one felt the sting of injustice more than 34-year-old Grigor Dimitrov, the world’s 21st ranked men’s singles player who peaked at 3rd back in 2017. Dimitrov has won nine titles but never a major, making a deep run at Wimbledon even more seductive at this point in his career.
That’s where Grigor was Monday in the round of 16 against top seeded Jannik Sinner. With a two sets to love lead and tied at two games in the third set, Dimitrov pulled his right pectoral muscle serving and had to withdraw from the match. So with the number one player in the world on the ropes and one foot in the final eight, the player once called Baby Fed because of his resemblance to the legendary Rodger Federer needed assistance simply to carry his bag off the court. The good news is that he might be back in time for the US Open, meaning the injury could have been much worse.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first rodeo for Grigor, who has now withdrawn from five consecutive major tournaments, starting in the exact same spot a year ago when he withdrew in the round of 16 at Wimbledon. Since then, it’s been the US Open, Australian, French, and now Wimbledon again. If there’s a Grand Slam for withdrawing with injuries, he’d have it. Some tennis players bring their trainer and a sports psychologist to tournaments. Dimitrov needs a traveling nurse.
There’s something deeply unsatisfying about having to leave a sporting event because of an injury, way worse than just losing. When you lose, you can at least believe that you gave your best shot, or that your opponent was simply better. When you’re injured, it feels unjust, like you were denied something that was rightfully yours. It’s as if your very own body has betrayed you, after all the effort and attention it gave leading up to that moment. The word that comes to mind the most is unfair, even though we should all realize fairness is an illusion at best. Sinner was gracious in victory, as would be expected for someone who looked rattled for most of the match and realized just how lucky he was to live another day. As much as everyone wants to win, and they do, it’s a lot easier to take a default victory when you were ahead.
This is by no means a new story, nor one specific to Dimitrov nor the sport of tennis. Courts and fields are littered with athletes who could have been so much more if not for some catastrophic injury or a body that keeps breaking down. Rember all the NBA championships Sam Bowie won? Of course not, because his career was a series of stress fractures and recoveries. Similar story to Ralph Sampson, who could have been one of the greatest centers ever. You can add Bo Jackson, Greg Oden, even Joe Theisman to the list, along with countless others. Having a natural gift and tireless ambition is, sadly, only part of the equation. Even though every Nike t-shirt tells you that you can pretty much do anything if you try hard enough, Grigor Dimitrov’s pectoral muscle would tell you otherwise. Which is why when you think about sports talent, remember one of the most critical skills is simple the ability to keep playing. Longevity may not be sexy, but it pays the bills. And it’s a much of reason why Novak Djokovic has 24 majors and is possibly poised for another as is his serve and volley.
I have no idea whether Dimitrov will recover well and ever get to the promised land at a major tournament. And who knows if this Wimbledon was his best shot to make it happen. It very well may be. All we do know is that he was getting pretty close and probably wanted it really bad. But regardless of his desire, sport is truly a cruel mistress.
Keith Strudler is the Dean of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. You can follow him at @KeithStrudler.
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