Arthur Fery stands as the last British player left at Wimbledon and the only beacon of hope for UK tennis this week. The 23-year-old overcame Zizou Bergs in a five-set thriller to progress to the fourth round, where he will take on SW19 favourite Grigor Dimitrov.
Financial Milestones and Career Earnings
Ranked 114th globally coming into the tournament, Fery achieved this milestone despite suffering three nosebleeds during his clash with Bergs. He has become the first British male wildcard to advance this far in 33 years and has already secured £300,000 for reaching the fourth round. Success in his next match would see him pocket as much as £480,000. Prior to Wimbledon in 2026, he had earned £245,000.
Family Background and Football Connections
Fery also boasts significant connections to the football world, as his father, Loic Fery, was the owner of Ligue 1 side Lorient, who play in the same division as Manchester United minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Nice. Loic acquired the club aged just 35 in 2009, having gained invaluable experience from former Sunderland owner Ellis Short, whose son competed in junior tennis alongside Arthur. A relationship with Arsene Wenger also proved particularly beneficial for the now 52-year-old.
Discussing his path into football ownership, Loic, who boasts a net worth of £275 million, disclosed in 2021: "I learned from Ellis, seeing everything that he went through with Sunderland and those misadventures. His son played some tennis with Arthur so I got to know him. I grew up playing tennis, it was my sport, I was playing regional level competitions until I was 16. I wasn't playing to the level of my wife or Arthur but I am competitive in everything I do. I've always very much enjoyed playing football as well."
He added: "I looked at investing in Sheffield Wednesday and also Leeds United, and got as far as making an on-site visit. But I thought Lorient was better value from the point of developing a business and it has been a good story so far. When I took over the club, it was in a bad financial situation with negative equity, but we have been able to balance the books over the past 11 seasons."
Loic Fery's Current Role and Arthur's Mother
Loic offloaded Lorient in January to the Black Knight Football Club ownership group, though continues at the club as president, a position he has occupied since 2009. Meanwhile, Arthur's mother, Olivia, carved out a distinguished tennis career in her own right, securing two singles titles and finishing with a 33-25 singles record prior to hanging up her racket. She also competed at the 1991 French Open.
