Arthur Fery did it again. The 23-year-old Briton achieved an epic 2-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) victory against Belgian Zizou Bergs on Saturday to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon.
He grew up just five minutes from the All England Club. Now, with an invitation in hand, he became the country’s only representative in singles, both male and female.
“Many firsts today for me. I am very proud of how I handled everything. First victory in five sets, the longest match I have ever played, first time entering the top 100, first second week in a Grand Slam, all at home,” Fery declared.
The player, ranked 114th in the ranking, had never made it this far in a large tournament. Their journey is all the more significant considering that Britain’s top hopes, Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu, withdrew due to injuries before the tournament. The 11 Britons who played on the opening Monday all lost.
Comeback and local support
Fery was down 4-1 in both the fourth and final sets. He recovered, boosted by the home crowd in a match that lasted 4 hours and 39 minutes. “It’s incredible to have support. It definitely helps me. At the end of the fifth, the public played a huge role,” he said.
On the second match point of the 10-point tiebreaker, Bergs sent the ball into the net. Fery fell back on the grass and then raised his arms to celebrate with the stands.
He is only the second British invitational in the Open era to reach the men’s round of 16 at a Grand Slam, after Andrew Foster in 1993. Wimbledon itself calls its history a “Ferytale” — and with good reason.
