Wimbledon star Arthur Fery has revealed that his tennis idols are Nick Kyrgios and Gael Monfils, rather than all-time greats like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The 23-year-old British wildcard, who became the first British man to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final in the Open Era at Wimbledon 2026, made the admission back in 2020 during his junior tour days.
Fery's Preference for Flair Over Tradition
According to the Harwich and Manning Tree Standard, Fery acknowledged the brilliance of Federer and Nadal but chose the entertaining styles of Kyrgios and Monfils as his favourite players to watch. "I would love to say Federer and Nadal, but I like Kyrgios, I like (Gael) Monfils, those guys," Fery said. "I think they bring a fresh wave to tennis with what they do, otherwise I find the sport is starting to get a bit more boring. I think these guys are good for tennis because it makes the sport more interesting, brings the fans to come and watch. When Kyrgios is playing, everyone watches."
Historic Run at Wimbledon 2026
Fery's comments resurfaced after his remarkable run at the All England Club, where he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller to book a quarter-final clash with Flavio Cobolli. The 23-year-old, son of FC Lorient president Loic Fery, has captured the attention of the tennis world with his fighting spirit. In his post-match interview, Fery credited Roger Federer, who was in attendance, as the greatest of all time. "I grew up five minutes from here, I grew up coming to watch matches on this court. We've got probably the greatest of all time watching in the front row. I saw him. And now playing here in front of all you guys, having the support and winning. It's unbelievable," Fery told BBC Sport.
Federer in Attendance
Federer's presence at the match added to the occasion. Fery noted the Swiss icon's impact on his career, saying, "It's been the story of the tournament for me. I was really close to losing my last round as well and again today, a breakdown in the fourth. Just trying to keep fighting, keep having a good attitude, committing to what I'm trying to do on the court and it managed to pay off."
