Days like these for British players at Wimbledon need to be cherished. Andy Murray ending the nation’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles champion in 2013 was the height of euphoria, and his commanding win three years later was not far behind. Home hopes Johanna Konta and Cameron Norrie also sparked fervent support by unexpectedly reaching the semi-finals in the past nine years.
There was some logic to the memorable British runs that have illuminated the All England Club in recent years. But wildcard Arthur Fery storming into the semi-finals? Nobody saw that coming – and those who were there celebrated accordingly.
Fery’s Historic Centre Court Triumph
Champagne corks popped throughout 23-year-old Fery’s remarkable three-set win over ninth seed Flavio Cobolli. One cork prompted a complaint from the Italian, who stated it put him off his service motion. A few fans likely left Centre Court in pursuit of a tipple to mark arguably British tennis’ finest day in its grand old home since Murray’s second title a decade ago.
For Fery, it is a life-affirming moment. He had won just two Grand Slam main-draw matches before this fortnight. “I felt emotions that I’ve never experienced before in my life in that last game,” said Fery. He added, “I have the crowd behind me here, which is a huge help.”
It was a day the 15,000 home fans on Centre Court, thousands more on Henman Hill – sorry, Arthur’s Seat – and those engrossed across the country will never forget.
Joining Grand Slam Elite
Fery is just the fifth British man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals since the Open era began in 1968. He joins an exclusive group as only four men have reached a Grand Slam men’s semi-final as a wildcard. This group includes Jimmy Connors (1991 US Open), Henri Leconte (1992 French Open) and Goran Ivanisevic (2001 Wimbledon). Of those three, only Ivanisevic went on to win the title.
Fery will now rise to 36th in the world, having never cracked the top 100 before this tournament. This assures him of direct entry into the sport’s biggest tournaments for the foreseeable future. A cheque of £900,000 will be another financial injection to further develop his career, which will increase further if he beats French Open champion Zverev.
Ahead of the Semi-Final
Fery is not celebrating yet. He has a Wimbledon semi-final against German second seed Alexander Zverev coming up on Friday. “I don’t really see results as a monetary value, I see it more as a result of a lot of work put in throughout the years,” Fery told BBC Sport after winning £78,000 by qualifying for this year’s Australian Open.
In Melbourne, he talked about being able to “reinvest” in his tennis. Money has never been an object, in truth. His father Loic is an asset manager who was the owner of Ligue 1 football club Lorient, while his mother, Olivia, is a French former Fed Cup player who worked for the LTA as a business development manager. The family are reported to be worth more than £275m.
Fery’s ascent to the semi-finals marks a significant moment for British tennis, securing his place in major tournaments and providing a platform for his continued development.