BBC Wimbledon viewers expressed anger after British wildcard Arthur Fery's historic quarter-final victory, as the highlights show was delayed until late evening. Fery, 23, defeated Flavio Cobolli in straight sets on Centre Court to become only the second wildcard to reach the men's semi-final at Wimbledon, after Goran Ivanisevic in 2001. The world number 114 said after the match: "It seems to get better and better every match. No, I just can't believe it. It's incredible playing on Centre Court for the second time, second win, I can't believe it."
Viewers frustrated by late-night highlights
Despite Fery's win finishing earlier in the evening, the BBC's highlights programme "Today at Wimbledon" did not air until 11:05pm on BBC Two, leaving many fans who had been at work unable to watch the match. One viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "Why are Wimbledon tennis highlights on after 11pm tonight on BBC2? We have a British wildcard through to the semifinals and some of us have been at work all day!" Another added: "Really narked me off, came in hoping to watch it & nothing."
Complaints about programme structure
Additional criticism focused on the order of highlights, with Fery's match placed third behind the women's quarter-finals. One viewer said: "Has the BBC lost all sense of news and editorial values. Watching the Wimbledon highlights on catch-up and the Fery match is third on the roster. He's British and he's in the semi-finals FFS." Others lamented the show's reduced quality, describing it as "a nothing show" with "zero analysis" compared to earlier versions that featured interviews and commentary.
Fery's historic run continues
Fery, who beat Cobolli in straight sets, said: "I played Flavio earlier this year in Australia and I beat him. That was a boost of confidence and I knew that I could do it, even though it's my first time in the quarter-finals." He added: "I was very nervous beforehand, but I kept going until the finish line." The men's semi-finals are set for Friday, July 10, with Fery facing second seed Alexander Zverev, while top seed Jannik Sinner meets Novak Djokovic. Coverage of Wimbledon continues on BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC iPlayer.
