BBC pundit Annabel Croft has highlighted a humble act by Arthur Fery's mother at Wimbledon that she believes reveals the true character of the British semi-finalist. The 23-year-old, ranked No. 114, faces French Open champion Alexander Zverev on Friday after a remarkable run as a wildcard.
Mother's Choice to Stay Out of Spotlight
Croft, a former British No. 1, observed that Fery's mother Olivia chose not to sit in the coaching box during his matches. Instead, she watched from the members' seats on Centre Court. "I was sitting a few rows away from Fery's mother, Olivia, in the members' seats on Centre Court," Croft wrote for The Times. "She wasn't in the coaching box. Steffi Graf's mother was the same. She never wanted the attention, and I thought that was really sweet."
Grounded Character
Croft believes this reflects Fery's own grounded nature. "Fery is probably very grounded like that too, and that's helped him to take everything in his stride," she added. The young Briton has defied expectations, beating ninth seed Flavio Cobolli in straight sets in the quarter-finals to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final.
Family Background
Olivia Gravereaux is a former professional tennis player who won two ITF titles. Fery's family moved from France to England when he was one month old. He has spoken about his dual nationality: "I feel very British. I live here. All my best friends live here. I went to school here, I train here. Obviously my parents are still French and we speak French with my cousins and my family who still live in France. But my roots are very much tied to London now."
Historic Opportunity
Fery is aiming to become the first British Wimbledon champion since Andy Murray in 2016. He faces Zverev for the first time, while Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner contest the other semi-final.
