Arthur Fery, the last remaining British singles player at Wimbledon, has said he will not pay attention to any social media hype surrounding his breakthrough run at the tournament. The wildcard entry faces former world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round on Monday, marking the first time Fery has competed in the second week of a grand slam.
Fery Focused on Tennis, Not Hype
Fery, who had never previously passed the second round of a grand slam, has rolled through three wins to reach this stage. He acknowledged the increased attention but insisted he will stay grounded. "I won't look at social media," Fery said. "Or very little. Yeah, my WhatsApp and all that. Obviously, there's a lot of messages and a lot of support and I'm super grateful for it, but I obviously can't let myself fall into that trap. And I'm sure I'll have time after the tournament's done, whenever that is, to enjoy."
Steady Progress Leads to Breakthrough
Fery's run is not a surprise to those who have followed his career. He started the season by qualifying for the Australian Open and defeating Flavio Cobolli, later a French Open finalist, in the first round. He was also the last British man standing at the Queen's Club tournament, where he narrowly lost his quarter-final in three sets to eventual champion Francisco Cerúndolo. "It's something that's been in the works for a long time," Fery said. "Again, I haven't gone from zero to this suddenly. So it's something that you prepare yourself for. And I feel like you only really break through when you're ready to."
Dimitrov's Pedigree and Emotional Journey
Fery has avoided seeded players throughout his run, but Dimitrov's pedigree is undeniable. The Bulgarian is a former world No. 3 and a previous semi-finalist at Wimbledon. Last year, he led top seed Jannik Sinner by two sets in the fourth round before being forced to withdraw with a pectoral injury, which sidelined him for months and left a heavy mark on his mentality. Having been handed a main-draw wildcard this year, Dimitrov has put together an emotional run. "It's not going to be an easy match. I have seen him play. He's a great competitor. He's playing at home. I mean, second week, Wimbledon, big court. I can totally get it," Dimitrov said, smiling, about the support Fery will receive. "No, I'm going to approach this match as every other match. There's nothing has changed on my side."
Fery Ready for the Challenge
Fery feels prepared for the moment, despite the elevated attention. "I mean there's obviously going to be differences. It's not going to be like a completely different life that I'm leading Sunday in two weeks, unless I win the tournament. But yeah, I'm ready for it. I'm just going to stay grounded and not going to change really," he said.
