Wimbledon star rages at umpire after controversial decision: ‘Are you that bad?’

Damir Dzumhur argued with the umpire (Picture: BBC)

Wimbledon star Damir Dzumhur was handed an official warning during his defeat to Britain’s Arthur Fery after taking his anger out on the match umpire following a controversial ‘let’ call.

Former World No.23 Dzumhur won the first set 6-3 against Fery before breaking the Brit’s serve again early in the second set.

However, the match appeared to flip on its head shortly after, which left Dzumhur fuming and ultimately sent him spiralling to a four-set defeat.

Down 15-30 in the fourth game of the second set, Dzumhur’s serve was returned by Fery before the Bosnian sliced into the net to bring up two break points for his opponent.

Dzumhur, though, immediately complained, walking to the net with his arms outstretched as he believed his serve hit the tape at the top of the net and said it should have been called as a ‘let’.

No such call was made by American chair umpire Greg Allensworth, leaving Dzumhur incensed as he accused his opponent of not calling the let and playing on.

Talking to Fery, he said: ‘It was a let. You played the point, you didn’t stop, huh? Wait, wait. You won the point. Just be honest. I don’t care what he [ the umpire] is saying.

Dzumhur accused Britain’s Arthur Fery of not calling the let (Picture: BBC)

The Bosnian was given an official warning after venting to the chair umpire (Picture: BBC)

The Brit stood his ground, responding: ‘I didn’t stop, I didn’t hear a let. I thought you [the umpire] had heard it.’

The 34-year-old Dzumhur then turned to umpire Allensworth to complain, saying: ‘Did you see the let? Did you hear the let? So you are that bad that you cannot hear, and everybody heard?

‘I am saying you are bad. You made the mistake. He [Fery] stopped.’

Dzumhur ultimately returned to the baseline to resume his service game, but not before sarcastically applauding Fery and calling out: ‘Fair play, man!’

Dzumhur later also complained to match referee Jake Garner (Picture: PA)

Fery would ultimately convert the break point, but Dzumhur refused to let the controversy go, repeatedly muttering ‘so bad’ under his breath the following game before he was handed an official warning for ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’.

Dzumhur went on to lose the next four games in a row to lose the set but continued his remonstrations during the set break after calling match referee James Garner onto the court.

‘It’s very tough to play when there’s someone who cannot do his job,’ Dzumhur vented.

Fery put in headphones to drown out Dzumhur’s complaints (Picture: Eurosport)

‘I’m sure you are aware of this. He has nothing to worry about apart from this [the let]. I don’t know what to say, he has one thing to do and he can’t do it good.

‘It would be the same if I came to the tennis court and could not hit a shot.’

Keen to keep his composure, Fery put in a pair of headphones to block out Dzumhur’s complaints but ultimately cruised to victory, with his opponent winning just three games over the final two sets.

Fery is just the second Brit into the second round (Picture: PA)

Asked about the incident post-match, Fery said: ‘I mean, it was expected, to be honest. He does that with everyone.

‘I mean, if it’s a let, it’s a let for everyone, right, it’s not just a let for him. Whether the point carries on or not, it’s the same for both of us.

‘He obviously wants to make a problem with the ref, with the umpire, and then is trying to speak to me about it. But, I mean, there is nothing to really speak about. Just trying to get the other player involved for no reason.’

Fery is now just the second Brit into the second round at Wimbledon after what has been a bitterly disappointing opening few days for the home players.

Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper both withdrew before their first-round matches, while Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter both fell to disappointing defeats.

The only other British victory came via Katie Swan, who battled past Irina-Camelia Begu in her first appearance at SW19 since 2023.

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