London, June 30 (Reporter) In a dramatic and unexpected turn at Wimbledon 2025, 24th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas today retired from his first-round match against French qualifier Valentin Royer after struggling with a back issue that forced him to take a medical time-out in the second set. Tsitsipas, who was trailing 6-3, 5-2 at the time, summoned the physio during the second set after appearing in visible discomfort. The trainer treated the Greek star on Court 12 as he lay on the ground clutching his lower back. Despite resuming play and earning three break points with Royer serving for the set, the world No. 113 held firm, saving all three and clinching the set 6-2. At the changeover, Tsitsipas sat on his bench seemingly deliberating his next move. In a moment of uncertainty, he appeared to seek advice from his new coach — 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic — before informing the chair umpire of his decision to retire from the match. This outcome marks a breakthrough for 23-year-old Royer, who recorded his first-ever tour-level victory in his Grand Slam debut, with a final scoreline of 6-3, 6-2, ret. The exit is a bitter disappointment for Tsitsipas, a former world No. 3, who recently began working with Ivanisevic in a partnership he described as one that "should've happened years ago." Tsitsipas’s retirement follows another emotional moment earlier in the day when two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur broke down in tears and also left the court mid-match, highlighting a turbulent start to the tournament. With Tsitsipas out, Royer now advances to the second round, where he will seek to continue his fairytale run on the grass courts of SW19...////...