Kohlschreiber Gets Tired and Abruptly Retires in the Fifth Set of His Wimbledon Match

Talk about sudden fatigue! 2012 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Philipp Kohlschreiber was up two sets over Ivan Dodig in their first round match. He then dropped the next two sets and was broken early in the fifth. Then he’d had enough. He simply said, “I’m tired,” and walked over to shake Dodig’s hand.

This was his explanation after the match:

So there you have it.

Kohlschreiber was one of four 2012 quarterfinalists to lose today. Tamira Paszek, Maria Kirilenko, and Florian Mayer all lost as well.

(h/t Brodie of Mind The Racket)


Lindsay is an author, a filmmaker, a long-winded blogger, and a huge tennis fan.

7 Responses

  1. SamG
    SamG June 25, 2013 at 1:00 pm |

    That is just WEIRD. Could he be fined?

  2. RZ
    RZ June 25, 2013 at 1:40 pm |

    I had picked Kohlscheiber to do very well here (taking a cue from Juan Jose: “Never trust Philipp Kohlschreiber!”). Dodig is no pushover, but on grass Kohls should have won this easily.

  3. Master Ace
    Master Ace June 25, 2013 at 1:57 pm |

    Kirilenko got hit off the court by Robson, 31 winners and leading candidate for winner of the week along with Puig and Darcis.

    Paszek has struggled all year long and now slipped out of the Top 100.

    F Mayer had to face a certain player that is at number 1.

    Kohlschreiber needs to get himself checked out as he lost or w/d from another tournament due to vertigo.

  4. Ophelia
    Ophelia June 25, 2013 at 2:26 pm |

    Am I allowed to chuckle a little bit and gesture my finger vaguely in the direction of the people who thought that Kohlschreiber had a better chance than Ferrer to reach the semifinals? Especially after Ferrer fell down twice in his match, was hobbling during the last few games, and still gritted out the win unlike a certain German? Because while I’m as tired of the “Ferrer gets no respect” storyline as the next tennis fan is, it’s sadly all too true.

  5. björkmaniac
    björkmaniac June 25, 2013 at 8:23 pm |

    To be fair, he was sick, could hardly practise the last couple of days, was at “thirty percent,” and would never have tried if it hadn’t been Wimbledon.

    German link:

    http://www.tennisnet.com/deutschland/turnier/wimbledonspecial/Wimbledon-Kohlschreiber-gibt-nach-20-Satzfuehrung-auf-Struff-ist-weiter/4993296

    But still, he should have finished the match just to save himself this debate. Couple more games couldn’t have ruined him.

  6. skip1515
    skip1515 June 26, 2013 at 11:08 am |

    I agree qwith björkmaniac that Kohlschrieber wouldn’t have hurt himself if he’d run out the match for the sake of good form, etc., but this illustrates how the players’ attitudes have changed over the years. Kohlschrieber has no rep as either a guy who plays head games or as a bastard, but the modern view of a player’s prime responsibility is, “How do I maximize every facet of my chances of success?”

    When asking that question and getting the answer, “Retire now,” or “default and nurse your injury,” (even if it’s not deeply serious), the modern player takes that path over the older one of playing on for honor and because the punters have bought tickets.

    I’m not judging here (that’s another discussion), but it’s worth remembering that we’re talking about 20+ year olds (not being ageist, either, just the facts) who live in a world ruled by behavioral trends that are constantly being reset by virtue of changes in the rules and widespread acceptance of what those rules allow. (Bathroom breaks, anyone?)

    Years ago, players who retired during matches as frequently as some have done lately would have earned them tremendous scorn (see: Roddick’s comments re Djokovic’s various ailments). That’s not the case today, at least not to the same degree.

  7. skip1515
    skip1515 June 26, 2013 at 11:08 am |

    “I agree qwith björkmaniac”

    I also agree *with* björkmaniac.

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