LONDON — Arthur Fils’ Wimbledon campaign came to an end Thursday after the French No. 1 was defeated by former finalist Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in the second round on Centre Court.
Playing his first match on Wimbledon’s most famous court, Fils struggled to cope with Berrettini’s powerful serve and forehand, two weapons that have long made the Italian one of the most dangerous players on grass.
The Frenchman found it difficult to establish rhythm during baseline exchanges and committed 42 unforced errors over the course of the match. He also struggled to capitalize on his limited opportunities, converting just one of six break points while Berrettini dominated behind his first serve.
After dropping the opening two sets, Fils briefly revived his hopes by claiming the third set, showing greater aggression from the baseline and forcing Berrettini into mistakes.
Any momentum, however, quickly disappeared in the fourth set. Berrettini secured an early break and never allowed the 21-year-old Frenchman an opportunity to recover, controlling his service games with authority before closing out victory in just under three hours.
The defeat represents a disappointing end for Fils, who arrived at Wimbledon determined to make a deep run after returning from nearly two months away from competition. Rather than treating the tournament as part of his comeback, the Frenchman had targeted a strong result at the All England Club.
For Berrettini, the victory further underlined his encouraging return to form. The 2021 Wimbledon runner-up advanced to the third round, where he will face either Jakub Mensik or Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the last 16.
