Belgium’s Zizou Bergs faces local lad Arthur Fery in a third‑round Wimbledon singles clash that could be a Saturday crowd-pleaser.
Bergs got the better of Jaime Faria in four sets in round two to extend his winning streak on grass to seven matches.
The world number 37 is a man transformed one year on from revealing that he didn’t enjoy a single point of his first-round defeat to Lloyd Harris.
Fery, meanwhile, is also enjoying the best grass‑court run of his career on the back of some superb serving, tactics and home support.
He came from a set and 2-0 down to beat Damir Dzumhur in the first round before seeing off Ben Shelton’s conqueror Otto Virtanen in four sets again on Thursday.
With both men in form but Bergs carrying the heavier weapons, this matchup promises intensity, momentum swings and high‑quality grass‑court tennis.
Zizou Bergs v Arthur Fery Tips Summary
Best Bet - Bergs -2.5 Games Match Handicap @ 5/6
Alternative Bet - Arthur Fery to win two sets – No @ 6/5
Bet Builder - Bergs to win match, Fery +1.5 Games 1st Set Handicap & Fery to make First Break of Serve @ 11/2
Zizou Bergs v Arthur Fery Prediction
Best Bet: Bergs -2.5 Games Match Handicap @ 5/6
Bergs has been the busier player of late and had only one full day to recover from claiming his maiden ATP Tour title at Eastbourne before he faced Ugo Humbert again at Wimbledon.
The Belgian has been labelled a streaky and somewhat fragile player in the past, but the 27-year-old has shown much more consistency over the past few weeks.
He kept his nerve after the Frenchman came back from two sets down to level their match on Tuesday, winning through 6-3 in the decider.
Bergs has covered a -2.5-game handicap in all seven of his wins since a first-round exit to Taylor Fritz at Halle three weeks ago.
His sharper play in the clutch moments proved decisive against Faria and it may do again when he faces Fery, whose four‑set win over Virtanen was the biggest moment of his career so far.
The wildcard from Wimbledon thrives on rhythm disruption and counterpunching, but Bergs’ ability to dictate early in rallies should limit Fery’s opportunities to redirect pace.
If Bergs stays in the groove on serve and continues converting break points at his current rate, he should cover the -2.5 games handicap.
Alternative Bet: Arthur Fery to win two sets – No @ 6/5
Fery has shown he can take sets off higher-ranked players and he has been mentally tougher than both of his opponents this week.
But Bergs’ confidence is sky-high at the moment and he cuts a much cooler figure under pressure than either Dzumhur and Virtanen did.
The Briton has spent less time on court than the Belgian and may be slightly fresher as a result, but this match is unlikely to feature many long, grinding rallies from the back of the court.
Bergs likes to mix things up with occasional drop shots and has been serving and volleying too at times, albeit he showed plenty of patience during his run at Eastbourne.
His ability to mentally reset after losing sets, combined with his superior firepower, means Fery would need multiple dips in Bergs’ level to claim two sets.
The 23-year-old may well take one — his return game and early‑match intensity make him dangerous — but Bergs’ consistency across four or five sets should prevent the Brit from claiming a second.
Zizou Bergs v Arthur Fery Bet Builder
Bergs to win match
Fery +1.5 Games on 1st Set Handicap
Fery to make First Break of Serve
Pays @ 11/2
The higher-ranked player on a seven-match winning streak is taken to win the match, but it may not be all plain sailing for Bergs.
Fery stunned world number 20 Alexei Popyrin at SW19 last year and has been serving brilliantly this week, so he is worth backing to cover a +1.5 game handicap in the first set.
In dropping the opening set against Virtanen 7-5, Fery had squandered four break-point opportunities before the Finn converted his only one in game 11.
Bergs broke first in his match against Faria when the Portuguese ace double-faulted three times in his opening service game, but the Belgian went on to lose his serve in the next game.
If the Briton can get a few looks at second serves early on, there is no reason why he can’t break first against Bergs.
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Key Match Stats
Bergs has won seven matches in a row, including the final at Eastbourne last week
Bergs has played back-to-back matches that lasted over 2 hours 45 minutes at Wimbledon
Fery created four break points in the first set against Virtanen
Fery hit 43 winners and 27 unforced errors in his second‑round victory
Bergs saved multiple break points in sets three and four against Faria
Neither player has previously been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam, with Fery reaching this stage for the first time
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
