LONDON >> Jannik Sinner advanced to the Wimbledon quarterfinals despite hurting his right elbow in a fall and dropping the first two sets Monday night, because his opponent, Grigor Dimitrov, had to quit with an injured pectoral muscle.

The No. 1-seeded Sinner hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament until falling behind No. 19 Dimitrov 6-3, 7-5. But at 2-all in the third set, Dimitrov stopped playing.

It’s the fifth consecutive Grand Slam tournament where the 34-year-old Dimitrov failed to complete a match. He also did it at the Australian Open in January and the French Open in May, plus last year’s Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

“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,” Sinner said. “I hope he has a speedy recovery.”

On the last point against Sinner, Dimitrov served and immediately clutched his chest with his left hand. He took a few steps and crouched, before sitting on the grass. Sinner walked over to that side of the court to check on him.

“My pec,” Dimitrov told Sinner.

Dimitrov — a three-time major semifinalist, including at Wimbledon in 2014 — then went to the sideline, sat in his chair and was checked by a trainer and doctor. As Dimitrov talked with them, Sinner knelt nearby. After a delay of a few minutes, Dimitrov walked toward the locker room with the medical personnel.

Soon, he reemerged and said he couldn’t continue.

“I don’t take this as a win, at all,” Sinner said. “This is just a very unfortunate moment to witness for all of us.”

Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, turned things around and avoided what would have been his earliest exit at the All England Club since 2016, coming through for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 11th-seeded Alex de Minaur at Centre Court.

Djokovic’s bid for an eighth Wimbledon title and 25th Grand Slam singles trophy overall will continue against No. 22 Flavio Cobolli of Italy, who beat 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3).