Fans praised Jannik Sinner after they spotted the heartfelt thing he did for Grigor Dimitrov before the Bulgarian was forced to retire injured despite leading by two sets at Wimbledon on Monday.
Dimitrov, 34, led the contest 6-3 7-5 2-2 when he was forced to withdraw from his clash against Sinner, 23, at Wimbledon having fallen to the ground clutching his right pectoral after serving an ace.
The Italian quickly checked to see if the Bulgarian was okay before the 34-year-old received treatment from medics.
He was then forced to retire shortly after, meaning Sinner progressed to the quarter-finals.
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After the contest, the world number one admitted that he won’t “take this as a win”.
"I don't take this as a win at all; this is just an unfortunate moment for all of us to witness,” Sinner said.
"He has struggled in the last Grand Slams with injuries a lot, so seeing him again with this injury is very tough.
"We all saw by his reaction how much he cares about the sport. He is one of the hardest-working players on tour and it is very unfortunate."
He added: "This is not the end we wanted to see and it's very sad. We all wish him only the best."
Sinner was later praised by fans on social media for a gesture towards Dimitrov at courtside.
Before the Bulgarian had officially pulled out of the match, he left the court to undergo treatment before eventually returning and confirming his retirement from the contest.
And Sinner reminded him of which racket he was using before helping him off the court.
Fans were quick to give their thoughts on social media with several praising Sinner.
One said: "Not everyone can pack his opponent’s bag and help an injured player. Oh I love you, Jannik Sinner, you won my heart. Grigor, you broke my heart, but it’s not your fault. I love you boys."
Another added: “He really went above and beyond. That type of consideration cannot be faked.”
While a third explained: “By the way, Jannik Sinner is a gentleman. The way he helped Grigor pick up his rackets and took his racket bag. A lovely gesture.”
Sinner returns to action against American Ben Shelton on Wednesday, although the Italian has fitness concerns of his own.
The 23-year-old received a medical timeout following the third game in the second set, with trainers treating his right arm.
"Tomorrow we are going to check with MRI [scan] to see if there's something serious, and then we try to adjust it,” Sinner said.
Where to buy last-minute Wimbledon tickets
The Wimbledon ballot may have closed for another year, but it’s not too late to buy advance tickets if you know where to look.
If you don’t mind splashing out on the experience, Seat Unique has the option to book ‘VIP Debenture Behind The Server’ and ‘VIP Debenture Front 5 Rows’ tickets.
These tickets offer 'unparalleled views' of the court, so you won't miss out on any of the action.
As for resale tickets, you'll want to head over to StubHub and Viagogo.
Luke Davies