Arthur Fery, the last British player remaining in the Wimbledon singles draw, has captivated spectators with his meteoric rise from wildcard to quarter-finalist. The 23-year-old, who grew up in Wimbledon, now stands three matches from glory at the All England Club. But those who knew him as a child at his first tennis club say his success was no surprise.
Early Promise at Westside Lawn Tennis Club
Patrick Gibbs, 66, a 15-year member of Westside Lawn Tennis Club, recalls playing a young Fery informally. “I played him on an informal basis when he was I think 7 or 8,” Gibbs said. “It was just one set, 6-0. I didn’t get a game off him. Everybody in the club knew he was special. I think people would’ve been maybe surprised that he got to this level that he is now, but everybody knew he was a phenomenon.”
Gibbs added: “He had extraordinary confidence for a boy that age, it was never arrogance. He was always a really, really lovely boy.” Fery won the club’s annual men’s championship in 2017 while still a schoolboy.
Coaches Recall Quiet Determination
Tinus Nortje, 48, one of Fery’s first coaches, said the “quiet determination” seen in his youth is still evident today. “I think the fourth round said it all really,” said Nortje, originally from Cape Town. “He wasn’t going to let himself down and not fight, you could see that from an early age. He was always keen to progress, always keen to play, have fun, had great passion for the sport.”
Fery has staged stunning comebacks to reach the quarter-finals, most notably against former world number three Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, when he was twice a break down in the fourth set. His tenacious defending, explosive speed, and powerful backhand have been central to his run.
Family Influence and Background
Caroline Joy, 56, who regularly watched Fery as a youngster at Westside, noted his early attributes. “He was very quick and an amazing backhand, you could see that from a young age. You can see his mother’s influence on his game.” Fery’s mother, Olivia Fery, is a former professional tennis player who worked for the LTA. Her name is etched onto the women’s championships board at Westside nine times in 11 years.
His father, Loic, is a businessman with an estimated net worth of £275 million and is chairman and former owner of Ligue 1 football club Lorient. Both parents are French; Fery was born in a Paris suburb before moving to London as a baby. He attended private King’s College School near the All England Club and earned a scholarship to Stanford University in California.
Quarter-Final Challenge Ahead
Former British number one Johanna Konta said “short king” Fery — who is 5ft 9 — makes up for his size disadvantage with explosiveness, and tipped him to reach the semis. “Of course, I believe he can win that match,” said Konta. “Of course, he's here for a reason.” Fery will play ninth-seed Flavio Cobolli on Centre Court on Wednesday. If he wins, he will be one step closer to becoming just the second wildcard to win Wimbledon.
