An estimated 3,500 tennis fans crammed onto Wimbledon's iconic grass slope, newly dubbed 'Arthur's Seat', to support wildcard Arthur Fery in his semi-final against No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev. Despite Fery's defeat, the crowd celebrated his remarkable run as an inspiration.
The Atmosphere on Arthur's Seat
Fans began gathering from 10am when gates opened, some with laptops and phones, juggling work to catch the homegrown talent. By the end of the first set, the hill—officially Aorangi Terrace, also known as Murray Mound—was closed off, with a queue of frustrated fans snaking around the grounds. One security guard exclaimed, "Where are all these people coming from?" while a fan described it as "crazy trying to get a spot on the hill."
Deborah Sampson, from Essex, said, "He's another up-and-coming Great Britain star for us, after Murray. I think he deserved to win, but it is disappointing. He's got a long way to go. He'll be back next year." Claire Churchill, from Leatherhead, noted the atmosphere was "brilliant" despite the result, with the crowd giving Fery a standing ovation "to show respect."
Mixed Emotions and Support
Henry Rosenstock, a German supporting Zverev, acknowledged Fery's impact: "I've followed his games and I know what the fuss is about—and yeah, it's quite huge. He's a wildcard, so it's even more special." George Pitchford, from Clapham, said it was his sixth Wimbledon and he had never seen it so busy. "It's great to have a British player in the semi-finals again; we've actually had a bit of a lull since Murray," he added.
Johnny Aitkens, from Wandsworth, arrived two hours early and felt the crowd was "quite tense." He said Fery's progress "kind of crept up on me… and suddenly I was like, 'wow'." Mindy Valone, from New York, and Rebecca Hickim, from north London, found the hill "exhilarating" and "a lot busier" than previous visits.
Fery's Inspirational Run
Sebastian Hazzan, from London, hoped to find a new tennis star to follow. "I miss Andy Murray, really. But he could be the next one… I love an underdog, and he's an inspiration," he said. Despite strict security, fans like Hazzan and Eve Eyimah clung to the edge of the hill, determined to witness the moment.
Fery, aged 23, entered the tournament as a wildcard and captured British hearts with his performances. Though his magical run ended with a crushing defeat to Zverev, fans remain optimistic about his future, echoing the sentiment that he will be back next year.
