Arthur Fery has opened up about the pressures of sudden fame following his remarkable run at Wimbledon, where the British wildcard captured the nation's imagination before falling to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, champion Jannik Sinner saw nearly half of his £3.6 million prize money go to taxes.
Fery on Handling Newfound Attention
Fery, who entered Wimbledon ranked 114th in the world, quickly became a household name after defeating Grigor Dimitrov and Flavio Cobolli. The 24-year-old now sits at a career-high ranking of 36th and is preparing for the US Open later this year. Reflecting on the rapid rise, Fery told Sky News: "Yes, even already a little bit during the tournament I was thinking of life after and how I was going to handle all that because we've seen it with people who've broken through in that manner before. With Emma, obviously, Emma won a Slam and I didn't but there was still a lot of media attention."
Fery acknowledged the need to manage expectations: "It is going to be really important to handle that - the expectation from myself and also the public." On his improved ranking, he said: "It means I can play the top players week in, week out and compare myself to them and keep working on my tennis. I am going to have to get accustomed to the full life of tour with more media attention and all of that but I think I'm ready for it."
Sinner's £1.62m Tax Bill
Jannik Sinner celebrated his second consecutive Wimbledon title after defeating Alexander Zverev in four sets, with the first two sets decided by tiebreaks. The world No. 1 collected the £3.6 million winner's prize, but immediately faced a 45% tax rate on earnings above £125,140, resulting in a £1.62 million deduction. According to the ATP, Sinner has earned £5.1 million in prize money this year, bringing his career total to £48.2 million. Tennis players can deduct business expenses such as travel and coaching fees to reduce their tax liability.
Wimbledon's Lasting Impact
Fery's run echoed that of Emma Raducanu, who won the US Open in 2021 as a qualifier. While Fery did not win the title, his performances have set the stage for a promising career. The British star is now focused on the US Open and adapting to life as a top-40 player with increased media scrutiny.
