Wimbledon sensation Arthur Fery has revealed that Nick Kyrgios and Gael Monfils were his favourite players to watch growing up, ahead of legends like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The 23-year-old British wildcard made the admission in 2020, long before his remarkable run to the quarter-finals at SW19, where he became the first British wildcard to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam in the Open Era.
Fery's Surprising Idols
Speaking to the Harwich and Manning Tree Standard, Fery acknowledged the greatness of Federer and Nadal but opted for the showmanship of Kyrgios and Monfils. "I would love to say Federer and Nadal, but I like Kyrgios, I like Monfils, those guys," he 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."
Road to the Quarter-Finals
Fery booked his place in the last eight with a stunning five-set victory over Grigor Dimitrov, setting up a quarter-final clash with Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday. Despite his earlier snub, Federer was named the greatest player of all time by Fery after the match. The Swiss legend was present to witness the contest and received a special mention during Fery's post-match interview.
Fery told BBC Sport: "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. I'm playing really well with my back against the wall and again it paid off today."
A Special Moment with Federer
He added: "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."
