In a tournament that has seen plenty of disappointment for home fans, wildcard Arthur Fery continues to fly the flag with his unprecedented run at Wimbledon.
Fery, who is the only Brit left in the singles draw, pulled off a stunning five-set comeback win over Zizou Bergs to reach the last 16. The world No.114 looked to be on the verge of going out when trailing 1-4 in the final set before fighting back to seal a shock 2-6 7-5 2-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-5) victory after over four-and-a-half hours on court. It is only the fourth time Fery has beaten a top 40 player on the Tour.
“I was just trying to back my fighting spirit, and use that to my advantage. Just try and base my whole game around that. Just keep going,” Fery said of his comeback in the decider.
“I knew that he could maybe get a little shaky when he was getting close to winning the match, as well. I don’t think he’s made the fourth round of a slam either.”
To add to the drama, Fery suffered three nosebleeds that required medical attention whilst playing on Court 18. The same court on which he won his round two match on. Something that at one stage frustrated Bergs, who complained to the umpire about the delay.
A former top 15 junior player who spent four years playing college tennis at Stanford University, Fery reached the quarter-finals at Queen’s, leading up to Wimbledon. His best result on the ATP Tour to date. He was also a semi-finalist at a grass court challenger event in Likely.
“I’ve played a lot of grass-court matches leading up to Wimbledon this year,” he said.
“That definitely helps with confidence, with match fitness, with everything. I’ve also been playing a lot this year, got a lot of wins under my belt.
“I felt confident before my first round. My ranking was higher, so that helped with me feeling in my place.”
Although his Wimbledon run is a whole new level for the 23-year-old, who will soon break into the top 100 for the first time. He has also guaranteed himself at least £300,000 in prize money, which is just under half of what he has won during his entire career.
Fery grew up just five minutes away from Wimbledon. He was born in France but grew up in London and attended King’s College School in Wimbledon. His mother, Olivia, was a former player who once played at the French Open. His father, Loïc, is a businessman and current owner of the football team FC Lorient.
Fery is set to play his next match on one of the two premier courts. He will take on Grigor Dimitrov, who he has previously practiced with. He will be the underdog but has the advantage of home support.
“I’m not the kind of player to really interact with the crowd too much during the match,” he explains.
“I try to stay collected inside, which sometimes is tricky enough as it is. If I start giving too much energy out, then it’s going to affect my tennis. I just try to stay calm.
“Playing on a bigger court, it’s going to be a great experience that I’m looking forward to. “There’s obviously pressure associated with it. But I’ve now already played a few matches in front of big crowds. I feel ready for it.”
