Arthur Fery has insisted he feels "very British" after storming into the semi-finals of Wimbledon. The 23-year-old wildcard has become the story of this year's Championships, emerging as Britain's biggest Grand Slam hope since Emma Raducanu's US Open victory in 2021.
Fery holds dual British and French citizenship. Born in Sevres, near Paris, to French parents, he moved to London as an infant and has represented Britain throughout his professional career. While acknowledging his heritage, Fery says England is where he considers home.
"I feel very British. I live here. All my best friends live here. I went to school here, I train here," he said. "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. I've now lived here a long time. Maybe 10 years ago I'd have said I felt more French than English but now that's not the case at all."
Family Background and Early Life
Fery's father, Loic, is a businessman and president of French football club Lorient. In 2023, Loic was ranked the 398th-richest person in France with an estimated net worth of £275 million. His mother, Olivia, was a professional tennis player who competed at the French Open in the 1990s.
The family relocated to Wimbledon when Arthur was just one month old. He attended King's College School nearby. Initially, he represented France at Under-12 level before switching allegiance to Britain.
Career Breakthrough at Wimbledon 2026
Fery turned professional in 2021 and received a wildcard into Wimbledon qualifying that year, falling in the final round. He made his Grand Slam debut at the All England Club in 2023 but was beaten in the first round. The same result followed in 2024 before he secured his maiden Grand Slam match victory 12 months ago, defeating Australia's Alexei Popyrin in four sets to reach the second round.
Earlier this year, Fery made his Australian Open debut but exited in the second round. He then failed to qualify for the French Open before producing a stunning breakthrough run at Wimbledon. After beating Damir Dzumhur, Otto Virtanen, and Zizou Bergs, Fery faced his first major test against multi-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round. The pair produced a five-set epic, with Fery ultimately emerging victorious after clinching the deciding set in a tie-break.
In the quarter-finals, he swept aside world No. 9 Flavio Cobolli in straight sets, sealing victory with a dominant 6-0 final set.
Semi-Final Challenge and Historic Context
The semi-finals present his toughest challenge yet: reigning French Open champion and world No. 2 Alexander Zverev. Victory would send Fery into the Wimbledon final, where he would face either world No. 1 Jannik Sinner or seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.
The last British man to win the Wimbledon singles title was Andy Murray, who lifted the trophy in 2013 before repeating the feat in 2016. Before Murray, the previous British men's singles champion was Fred Perry in 1936.
