Grand Slam Heartbreak: The Players With the Most Retirements

Grigor Dimitrov’s recent retirement from Wimbledon 2025, while leading against Jannik Sinner, marks another unfortunate chapter in his Grand Slam career. This latest setback highlights a concerning trend of mid-match withdrawals for the Bulgarian player.

Dimitrov’s Unenviable Record

Dimitrov’s retirement against Sinner was his fifth consecutive retirement in a Grand Slam event. He had previously retired from Wimbledon and the US Open in 2024, as well as the Australian Open and French Open in 2025. This series of retirements has given him an unfortunate record:

• Most Grand Slam Retirements: With 10 retirements, Dimitrov holds the record for the most retirements in Grand Slam tournaments since the Open Era began in 1968.

Ranking the Players With Multiple Grand Slam Retirements

Dimitrov stands alone at the top, but several other players have also had their Grand Slam campaigns cut short due to injury or other reasons:

1. Grigor Dimitrov: 10 retirements
2. Janko Tipsarevic: 8 retirements
3. Novak Djokovic: 7 retirements
4. Michael Llodra: 7 retirements
5. Wayne Ferreira: 7 retirements

A History of Grand Slam Withdrawals

Dimitrov’s recent injury occurred while serving, leading to a right pectoral muscle issue. This specific incident adds to a series of unfortunate events at major tournaments:

• Wimbledon 2024: Retired in the fourth round against Daniil Medvedev due to an abductor tear.
• US Open 2024: Retired in the quarter-finals against Frances Tiafoe with a leg issue.
• Australian Open 2025: Details of the retirement are not specified in the provided context.
• French Open 2025: Retired in the first round against Ethan Quinn with a thigh injury.

“Wipeout Wednesday” and Other Notable Retirement Events

While individual retirement records highlight players’ misfortune, certain events stand out for the sheer number of withdrawals:

• Wimbledon 2013: The second round saw a high number of retirements and walkovers, with seven players retiring mid-match or withdrawing before their matches on June 26, 2013. This was due to a number of different injuries.
• US Open 2011: The first round of the US Open also equaled the record for withdrawals in a single round in Grand Slam history.

Impact and Context of Retirements

Grand Slam retirements can significantly impact tournaments, affecting seedings and altering paths to the final. While Dimitrov’s situation is particularly notable, it’s worth noting that injury rates in tennis have generally increased. This could be attributed to the sport’s increasingly physical demands.