Arthur Fery has declared he will alter nothing in his preparation as he gears up for the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Wednesday, maintaining the same approach that has powered his remarkable run at the All England Club. The British wildcard, who defeated former world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov in a fifth-set tie-break on Centre Court, now faces ninth seed Flavio Cobolli, one of the tour's most in-form players.
“I’m just going to stick to what I’ve been doing, just keep believing in myself, not letting go of matches, and we’ll see where that takes me,” Fery said. “I’m not going to change anything now. It’s working, I feel good.”
Fery’s Fairytale Run
Fery’s journey to the last eight has been nothing short of extraordinary. After coming from behind to beat Zizou Bergs in the first round, he repeated the feat against Dimitrov, saving a break point in the decider before clinching a 3-6, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) victory. The win stands as the greatest of his career, surpassing his earlier triumph over Cobolli at the Australian Open in January.
“It’s going to be a good match regardless,” Fery said of the rematch. “I’m expecting it to be very, very difficult and different to Australia. Completely different conditions. I’m sure he’s going to be at 100% of his capacities here, which maybe he wasn’t quite 100% in Australia. I played really well in Australia. Felt like I dominated the match. So we’ll use that experience for Wednesday.”
Cobolli’s Resurgence
From Cobolli’s perspective, the Australian Open meeting holds little relevance, as he was battling illness at the time. Since then, the Italian has compiled a 10-1 win-loss record in grand slam tournaments, reaching his first major final at the French Open last month, where he lost in five tight sets to Alexander Zverev. His straight-sets victory over fifth seed Alex de Minaur at Wimbledon underscores his current form.
“He’s a smart player,” said Jamie Murray. “He reads the game very well, better than most. He’s quick to see when someone’s off balance or maybe going to have to take a hand off the racket. You can see he’s straight into the net and he’s very accomplished at little drop volleys or really whatever volley he wants to play.”
Mental Toughness and Resilience
Fery’s mental fortitude has been a hallmark of his Wimbledon campaign. He has won consecutive fifth-set tie-breaks after trailing in both matches, a testament to his composure under pressure. “Oh, he loves the pressure,” said his coach Jeroen Benard. “That’s something for sure. That’s something that I see with him. In Australia, I was more nervous to go on that big court than he was. In some sense, he really likes the magnitude of a match, a big stadium. It’s something that probably, I don’t know, he’s born with. I would, I cannot swear, but I would … my pants. All credit to him.”
Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski echoed the sentiment: “I like his swagger, his fortitude, the way he never gives up. [Against] Bergs he was done and dusted, double break, found a way to turn it around; again in the fifth, down a break and finds a way to win. Dimitrov, two to one down, down a break in the fourth; amazing resilience, amazing belief, just don’t think about it. Why shouldn’t he be in the semis? What a run. What a moment.”
Overcoming Injury Setbacks
Fery’s path to this stage has been fraught with injury challenges. A bone bruise to his arm, similar to the one that plagued Jack Draper, sidelined him for nearly two months after his Australian Open win. “It’s only been a year together, but it has been a long journey, regarding the injuries,” Benard said. “The injury was not just then, it was an injury that reoccurred on a monthly basis. Every time we started, he got hurt. We tried everything to get him healthy.”
Despite the disruptions, Benard always believed in Fery’s potential. “In potential, definitely. Yes. I have told my parents this, what was it, five days ago? I said I knew that the potential was there. That it comes out, that quick – that’s tough to answer. For me as well. You hope, always – you don’t expect – but you see that there are definitely a lot of skills and tools that this could happen. That it happens here is great.”
Fery’s defensive skills, timing, and net play have been key. “He’s just a smart player,” Murray added. “He reads the game very well, better than most. He’s quick to see when someone’s off balance or maybe going to have to take a hand off the racket. You can see he’s straight into the net and he’s very accomplished at little drop volleys or really whatever volley he wants to play.”
As Fery prepares for the biggest match of his life, his unwavering belief and simple philosophy remain unchanged: “Keep believing.”
