Taylor Fritz was eager to keep playing his first-round match at Wimbledon on Monday night, even though his opponent, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, wasn’t on the same page.
This was highlighted in some social media comments made by Fritz after Mpetshi was halted shortly after 10 p.m., with just 45 minutes left before the tournament’s 11 p.m. curfew kicked in.
Previously, Fritz, 27, had been struggling, losing the first two sets to the 21-year-old French player 7-6 (8) and 7-6 (8). However, he bounced back to win the third and fourth sets, 6-4 and 7-6 (8)—quite a turnaround.
After the match, he’s set to compete against Canadian Gabriel Diallo in the second round on Wednesday.
According to ESPN, the 11 p.m. curfew has been in place since 2009 when a new roof was added to Center Court. This arrangement was made to balance the needs of local residents with the demands of hosting international tennis.
A statement from the tournament organizers noted that the curfew allows officials to consider transport and safety issues for fans traveling home after events.
Currently, Fritz is ranked fifth in the world and reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in both 2022 and 2024. The tournament is scheduled to conclude on July 13, with Spain’s Carlos Alcalaz as the defending champion.
