Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton pushed through delays to survive a chaotic schedule. In other news, Yulia Putintseva broke down in tears after a heavy defeat, raising alarm over crowd safety, while Cameron Norrie was left baffled by an inappropriate post-match question.
Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper criticized the new electronic line-calling system, and Naomi Osaka called out the media for selectively framing her emotional moments.
Off the court, Coach Goran Ivanišević publicly slammed Stefanos Tsitsipas’s preparation, and Mischa Zverev was caught off guard by brother Alexander Zverev’s emotional revelation about seeking therapy.
With that in mind, here’s a roundup of the biggest controversies from Week 1 of the Wimbledon Championships.
Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton Shine Through Chaos in Dramatic Wimbledon Matches
Taylor Fritz pulled off a gritty comeback win at Wimbledon, defeating France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a five-set thriller that spanned two days due to a scheduling delay.
The match was halted Monday night by Wimbledon’s 11 p.m. curfew, with Fritz trailing. The next day, Mpetshi Perricard impressed with a 153 mph serve, Wimbledon’s fastest ever, but Fritz fought back from two sets down to win 6-7(6), 6-7(8), 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-4.
Taylor Fritz has done it! 🤩
The No.5 seed wins the fifth set 6-4 to cap off a mesmerising affair against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and move into the second round ➡️#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/CXFaeMBu4g
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2025
Fritz later said he wasn’t frustrated by the delay and stayed confident overnight. “He was sleeping on that fourth set,” Fritz noted, “and I just came back doing what I was doing.”
Less than 24 hours later, Fritz returned to defeat Gabriel Diallo in another five-set battle, pushing through a scraped elbow and medical timeout to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-3.
On the other hand, 10th seed Ben Shelton’s second-round match against Rinky Hijikata was suspended late Thursday due to poor lighting, just as the American was one point away from victory. Leading by two sets and up 5-4, 40-0 on serve, Shelton had already missed three match points earlier.
Both players had raised concerns about the dim conditions, but play continued until officials finally stepped in at 9:29 p.m., frustrating Shelton, who voiced his displeasure with the chair umpire.
When play resumed Friday, Shelton needed just 70 seconds, firing three aces and an unreturnable serve, to close out the 6-4 third-set win.
Super Shelton 💪
The No.10 seed wastes no time finishing his 2R match, beating Rinky Hijikata 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 🇺🇸#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/OoQBGMVGOg
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2025
Fritz and Shelton advanced to the fourth round, taking on Jordan Thompson and Lorenzo Sonego, respectively.
Tearful Yulia Putintseva Calls Out ‘Dangerous’ Fan After Wimbledon Loss
Yulia Putintseva was visibly emotional on the bench after a tough 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Amanda Anisimova in the first round at Wimbledon.
6-0, 6-0 in just 43 mins I’d rather see her being the baddie on court than this
byu/Disney_Anteh intennis
During the match, the Kazakh player appeared visibly disturbed by a spectator in the stands and requested intervention from the chair umpire. She said she would not continue playing until the individual was removed, expressing that she felt the person was dangerous.
Putintseva also raised concerns about safety, questioning when security would arrive and suggesting the spectator might be carrying a knife.
”When does the security come? Take him out, maybe he has a knife” pic.twitter.com/nLzg3br4VE
— LorenaPopa 🕵️♀️🎾 (@popalorena) June 30, 2025
Cameron Norrie Left Puzzled by Unexpected Emma Raducanu Dating Question
During his post-match interview, Cameron Norrie was caught off guard by an inappropriate question about fellow Brit Emma Raducanu.
After a straight-sets win over Italy’s Mattia Bellucci to reach the fourth round, Norrie expected questions about his performance. Instead, the interviewer asked if he was dating Raducanu, leaving the 29-year-old visibly puzzled. Norrie replied that he wasn’t and suggested asking her instead.
The video of this, with the unabridged full question, is somehow worse. https://t.co/Lu8bCeC7W9 pic.twitter.com/dvrviixicO
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 4, 2025
The exchange sparked backlash online, with many calling the question unprofessional, especially given that Norrie has been in a long-term relationship with Louise Jacobi since 2019.
Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper Frustrated by AI Line Calls at Wimbledon
Emma Raducanu has questioned the accuracy of Wimbledon’s new electronic line-calling system after her third-round loss to Aryna Sabalenka. During a tight first-set tiebreak, Raducanu disputed a key call she believed was clearly out, but the AI-powered Hawk-Eye Live system ruled it in.
This year, Wimbledon replaced all human line judges on covered courts with an automated system to reduce errors. However, Raducanu and fellow Brit Jack Draper have both criticized its reliability.
“It’s disappointing that the calls can be so wrong,” Raducanu said, adding that she’s experienced several incorrect calls throughout the tournament.
Draper had also called the technology “not 100% accurate” after his second-round exit to World No. 83 Marin Čilić.
Naomi Osaka Calls Out Media Narrative After Wimbledon Loss
Naomi Osaka has criticized the media following her third-round loss at Wimbledon 2025, accusing outlets like ESPN of selectively highlighting her emotional moments after defeats while ignoring her positive interviews after wins.
The 27-year-old posted on Instagram Threads shortly after her 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, questioning why the media pushes a narrative that she’s “always sad.” In her post-match press conference, Osaka admitted she had “nothing positive to say” about herself and described feeling like “a negative human being.”
View on Threads
Her frustration reflects ongoing concerns about how her mental health is portrayed in the media, an issue that first came to light during her withdrawal from the 2021 French Open.
Coach Goran Ivanišević Slams Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Commitment After First-Round Exit
Stefanos Tsitsipas’s new coach, Goran Ivanišević, made headlines with a blunt critique of the Greek star’s preparation following his first-round retirement at Wimbledon 2025. Tsitsipas withdrew while trailing French qualifier Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-2 due to a back injury, further spotlighting his slide from World No. 3 to No. 26.
In an interview with Sport Club, Ivanišević, former coach of Novak Djokovic, expressed frustration, saying Tsitsipas has the talent to return to the top 10 but lacks commitment. He criticized the 26-year-old for saying “I want” without taking action, adding, “I’ve never seen a more unprepared player. With my bad knee, I’m fitter than him.”
Ivanišević stressed that Tsitsipas needs to fix issues off the court if he hopes to reclaim his place among the elite.
Mischa Zverev Caught off Guard by Brother Alexander’s Therapy Plans After Shock Wimbledon Loss
Mischa Zverev was taken aback by brother Alexander Zverev’s revelation that he plans to seek therapy following his first-round Wimbledon 2025 loss. After falling to Arthur Rinderknech, Alexander gave an emotional press conference, admitting he felt empty, unmotivated, and alone both on and off the court.
“I’ve never felt this empty before. Just lacking joy…”
-Alexander Zverev#TheBreakTC | #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/R6AatINwBl— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) July 6, 2025
In an interview with Andrea Petkovic on Amazon Prime Video, Mischa said he hadn’t noticed any serious warning signs and was hearing about the therapy plans for the first time. “He’s fine. Of course he’s sad after a loss, but that’s normal,” Mischa said.
He added that their recent conversations were positive and included plans for the coming weeks. “If he’s talking about it, that’s good. I’m here to listen,” Mischa said, noting that emotions often shift quickly and he aims to support his brother however he can.