Jannik Sinner cancels Wimbledon practice session as injury fears grow

The world No 1 sustained an elbow problem after slipping on the baseline during his fourth round match with Gregor Dimitrov

Jannik Sinner appeared to sustain an elbow problem during his match with Grigor Dimitrov (PA)

World No 1 Jannik Sinner has cancelled a practice session amid fears his Wimbledon bid could be scuppered by injury.

The 23-year-old Italian hurt his elbow after slipping on the baseline in the first game of his fourth-round match with Grigor Dimitrov on Monday evening.

Sinner reached the quarter-finals despite trailing 6-3 7-5 2-2 against the Bulgarian 19th seed, who had to retire after suffering an apparent pectoral injury.

But Sinner, who needed a medical timeout during the second set, revealed afterwards he would need an MRI scan on his right elbow on Tuesday.

He underwent the scan in the morning and a scheduled practice session at 4pm on Wimbledon’s Aorangi Park was subsequently cancelled.

“It was quite an unfortunate fall,” he said on Monday night after his match. “I checked the videos a little bit, and it didn’t seem a tough one, but I still felt it quite a lot, especially on serve and forehand.

“I could feel it. So let’s see. Tomorrow we are going to check to see how it is, and then we see.

“Tomorrow we are going to check with MRI to see if there’s something serious, and then we’ll try to adjust it.”

Jannik Sinner slipped on the baseline and looked in discomfort during the match (Getty Images)

Sinner, a three-time grand slam champion, is due to play American 10th seed Ben Shelton in the second match on Court One on Wednesday afternoon.

PA