Wimbledon umpire controversy erupts as fuming star tells Brit 'look into my eyes'

Tennis star Damir Dzumhur let rip at the umpire in his first round match at Wimbledon. The Bosnian took on British wild card Arthur Fery and was a set and a break up when he had words over what he thought was a missed let call. Fery was also targeted during his rival's rant, during which the 23-year-old was asked to "be honest". The controversy appeared to get to Dzumhur, who saw his hopes fade after venting his anger and ultimately lost in four sets on Court 16.

"It was a let," Dzumhur insisted to the umpire during the altercation. As Fery then came to the net, his opponent made it clear his frustration was predominantly with the official. "You played the point, you didn't stop," he continued, addressing the Brit. "No, no, no. You won the point, let's be honest."

"I don't care what he's saying," Dzumhur added, gesturing towards the umpire. "Can you be honest and say you didn't stop?"

Fery then twice confirmed that he didn't stop, telling his rival "I didn't hear the let." "Look in my eyes and say this, you didn't stop?" Dzumhur asked.

When Fery didn't budge on his position, the 34-year-old looked dismayed. Dzumhur then turned directly to the umpire and asked "Did you see the let?" to which he was told no.

When he asked if he had heard it, the same answer followed. "So you are that bad that you didn't hear and everybody heard?" he continued. "You are that bad? You made the mistake. And he [Fery] stopped."

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Before hitting his next serve he turned to Fery and said "Fair play man, as always". The Brit needed just one of his two break points to level things up at 2-2 in the second set and went on to also claim the next four games in a row.

The one-way traffic continued in the third set, which the Brit won 6-2. He then clinched victory by breezing through the fourth set, winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.

Fery was the first British man to reach the second round and just the second British singles player at all. Katie Swan was the first, beating Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4, 6-4.

Fery will play Otto Virtanen in the second round. The Finn stunned fourth seed Ben Shelton in a final-set tie-break to set up the meeting.