Arthur Fery is on a historic run at Wimbledon, becoming the only British singles player left in the draw. The 23-year-old faces Belgian No. 1 Zizou Bergs in the third round on Saturday afternoon at SW19, following in the footsteps of his former professional tennis player mother.
Fery's Journey to the Third Round
Fery, raised just down the road from Wimbledon's iconic grass courts, beat Damir Dzumhur in the first round in four sets. He then rallied to defeat Otto Virtanen 5–7, 7–6(3), 6–3, 6–3 on Court 18 in the second round. This marks his first-ever Grand Slam last-32 appearance.
He will return to Court 18 on Saturday to play Bergs, cheered on by his parents. Mirror Sport takes a look at his family life, including his father, a football club president, and his mother, a former pro who later worked for the LTA.
The Fery Family Wealth and Football Connections
Fery maintains strong links to the football world through his father, Loic Fery, the former owner of Ligue 1 club Lorient. Loic purchased the club at age 35 in 2009, having gained insight from former Sunderland owner Ellis Short, whose son played junior tennis with Arthur. A friendship with Arsene Wenger also proved advantageous.
In January 2026, Loic sold his remaining shares to American businessman Bill Foley's company, Black Knight Football Club, which became sole shareholder. Loic remains club president. His estimated net worth is £275 million, according to reports.
Discussing his journey into ownership, Loic said in 2021: "I learned from Ellis, seeing everything that he went through with Sunderland and those misadventures. His son played some tennis with Arthur so I got to know him." He added: "I grew up playing tennis, it was my sport, I was playing regional level competitions until I was 16. I wasn't playing to the level of my wife or Arthur but I am competitive in everything I do."
Loic also considered investing in Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United before settling on Lorient. "When I took over the club, it was in a bad financial situation with negative equity, but we have been able to balance the books over the past 11 seasons," he said.
Mother Olivia's Tennis Career
Arthur's mother Olivia enjoyed a distinguished tennis career, securing two singles titles and finishing with a 33-25 record in singles competition before retiring. She also took part in the 1991 French Open and worked for the LTA.
Fery's run at Wimbledon continues as he aims to progress further in the tournament, carrying the hopes of British tennis on his shoulders.
