Arthur Fery beats nosebleeds for epic Wimbledon win
British wild card Arthur Fery overcame three nosebleed stoppages and a five-set deficit twice to beat Zizou Bergs 2-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(10/5) on Court 18, reaching Wimbledon's last 16 after four hours and 38 minutes—the first five-set win of his career. The 23-year-old is now the only British singles player left in the draw, carrying home hopes deep into week two at SW19.
Key Takeaways
- Fery needed medical treatment three times for recurring nosebleeds during the third-round match.
- He recovered from 4-1 deficits in both the fourth and fifth sets to force tiebreaks.
- Only Andrew Foster (1993) had previously reached a Grand Slam last 16 as a British wild card.
- The victory marks the longest match of Fery's career and his first-ever five-set win.
- Fery told reporters he specifically requested Court 18, where he also played his second-round match.
What happened in Arthur Fery's Wimbledon epic?
On day six of Wimbledon 2026, Fery faced Belgium's Zizou Bergs in a third-round clash that quickly turned into a physical and mental endurance test. Bergs took the opening set 6-2 and looked in control for much of the contest, including a run of five straight games in the third set capped by a slam-dunk smash.
Fery responded each time he was pushed to the brink. Trailing 4-1 in the fourth, he clawed back to win 7-6(3). Bergs again moved ahead 4-1 in the decider, but Fery held nerve to reach 6-6 and force a final-set tiebreak, which he claimed 10-5. He collapsed to the turf in celebration before Bergs crossed the net for a congratulatory hug, as The Guardian's live blog reported.
Why did Arthur Fery's nosebleeds keep stopping play?
The match's most unusual subplot was Fery's recurring nosebleeds—a problem that has followed him through the tournament. His first bleed came after just four games of the opening set, according to ESPN. A second episode triggered a break of more than 15 minutes, with both players leaving court to change clothes while Bergs also received blister treatment.
The third stoppage arrived at the worst possible moment: Fery was serving at 4-5 in the fifth set, up 40-15, when blood started again and trainers were called. For athletes managing chronic health quirks under Grand Slam pressure, the episode underscores how even minor recurring conditions can reshape match rhythm—a theme we explore across our Longevity & Biohacking coverage.
What makes this run historic for British tennis?
Fery entered Wimbledon on a wild card and is now the sole British singles player remaining in either draw. His last-16 berth makes him only the second British wild card ever to reach that stage at a Grand Slam, joining Andrew Foster, who did it at Wimbledon in 1993.
It is also the first five-set victory of Fery's professional career and comfortably the longest match he has played. Afterward, he told reporters he had asked to play on Court 18 because he loves the atmosphere there—though he acknowledged he may face a show court in the next round.
Can recurring nosebleeds derail an elite athletic career?
For Fery, the bleeds have become a recurring tournament issue rather than a one-off interruption. Medical timeouts reset momentum, frustrate opponents, and force athletes to compete through repeated treatment breaks—a dynamic that played out repeatedly across four hours and 38 minutes on Court 18.
For now, Fery has proved the condition does not have to define his ceiling. Whether he can keep the bleeds at bay through a deeper Wimbledon run remains the open question—and the biohacking challenge—heading into the second week.