Full story
Fery vs Zverev drama
Arthur Fery’s Wimbledon semi-final against Alexander Zverev was punctuated by umpire Marijana Veljovic calling for a crucial point to be replayed after a ball kid moved to collect a ball before the end of the point.
“umpire Marijana Veljovic called for it to be replayed entirely”
Reuters described how Veljovic stopped play and then ordered the replay because the ball kid under her chair stood up and moved to collect Zverev’s return, thinking it was going to land out.
Fery, who was serving at 1-1 0-30 in the early stages of the second set, later argued with Veljovic about what he said were “obvious” lets, saying, “It feels like it would be good to have a machine, no, on the net?”
The match ended with Zverev overcoming Fery 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Wimbledon final for the first time, with the ATP Tour noting Zverev’s two-hour, 14-minute win and his first Wimbledon final appearance.
In the same semi-final, the ATP Tour reported that Zverev became just the third German man to reach the title match at Wimbledon, joining Boris Becker and Michael Stich.
Quotes and officiating
After the replay controversy, Fery continued to press Veljovic’s decisions, approaching her chair and questioning why she had not called what he said were “obvious” lets.
The Independent quoted Fery saying, “I know you’re doing your best but those ones were quite obvious,” as he described a discussion about net cords and the microphone.
Sky Sports framed the same semi-final as Zverev overpowering Fery in straight sets, with Zverev saying, “I think he will play on it for 15-plus years and he's going to have great results.”
The ATP Tour’s match report also captured Zverev’s on-court tone, quoting him: “It is amazing. This Grand Slam has always been the one I have really struggled with and now I am in the final at Wimbledon.”
With the result, Zverev set up a final against either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic, and the ATP Tour said the championship match is scheduled for 4 p.m. BST (11 a.m. EST).
Final stakes and schedule
The Guardian’s live blog described the broader Wimbledon 2026 semi-finals as Jannik Sinner reaching the final after ending Novak Djokovic’s quest for slam No 25, while Zverev “proved a step too far for Arthur Fery.”
“I was half a step late in every shot. He was a level or more better than I was.”
Djokovic’s post-match remarks in The Guardian included, “I was half a step late in every shot. He was a level or more better than I was,” and he added, “I’d like to, at least one more time.”
The Telegraph reported that Fery’s semi-final with Zverev was brought forward to avoid a clash with BBC World Cup coverage, warning that “Millions of viewers could miss Arthur Fery’s historic Wimbledon semi-final.”
The Telegraph also said the BBC’s World Cup coverage of Spain vs Belgium had an 8pm kick-off with coverage beginning at 7.30pm, six hours after the Fery-Zverev match starts at 1.30pm.
With Zverev into Sunday’s final, the ATP Tour said he will face defending champion Jannik Sinner or seven-time Wimbledon titlist Novak Djokovic, and UPI reported that Zverev will take on No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 8 Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final on Sunday in London.
