Tim Henman told Flavio Cobolli to stop complaining after the Italian lost his cool during a Wimbledon match against British wildcard Arthur Fery. The former British No. 1, providing commentary for the BBC, did not hold back as Cobolli protested to the umpire about the Centre Court crowd's enthusiastic reactions.
Cobolli's Frustration Boils Over
Cobolli, seeded 25th, had just dropped the first set 6-4 and was level at 2-2 in the second when he began showing visible frustration. The umpire had already warned the audience for opening champagne bottles too loudly. During a prolonged rally, the crowd grew animated, prompting Cobolli to complain to the umpire between points.
Henman responded sharply: "There's no reason for Cobolli to get annoyed. He can't control it, nor can the umpire. The umpire can ask every point but it's the natural reaction of an enthusiastic crowd. The more Cobolli complains the more likely the crowd are going to continue to be vocal."
Fery's Dominant Performance
Later in the match, with Cobolli two sets down and facing a break in the third, he cupped his ear to the crowd after winning a point, only to lose the game and eventually the set 6-0. Fery sealed a straight-sets victory, advancing to his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Fery, who made his Centre Court debut in the fourth round against Grigor Dimitrov, won a fifth-set tiebreak thriller. He said: "It was awesome. I had so many friends, so much family there, as well as all my team... These matches are such roller coasters as well. I'm always looking up. They're communicating to me. We're all in the match together."
Fritz's Early Praise
American sixth seed Taylor Fritz, who practised with Fery in late 2024, was not surprised by his success. "I was playing well. I made finals of Turin the next week. I felt pretty good about my game. He was beating me every day," Fritz recalled. "He had a good forehand for his size. Unbelievable serve. He was cooking me pretty consistently for the week. It doesn't surprise me at all that he's winning."
