BBC Wimbledon analyst Jamie Murray hinted that Arthur Fery may face a ban from playing on Court 18 for the remainder of the tournament after his stunning third-round victory. The 23-year-old British wildcard upset Zizou Bergs 2-6 7-5 2-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-5) on Sunday, becoming the first British wildcard to reach the fourth round since Andrew Foster in 1993.
Fery's Comeback and Court 18 Love Affair
Fery found himself in serious danger in both the fourth and fifth sets while dealing with multiple nosebleeds before sealing the comeback. The boisterous crowd on Court 18 exploded for the home favourite, who had requested to stay on the smaller court for his third-round match. His team spoke to the All England Club to grant that request, which was approved, and the venue hosted one of the most incredible British comebacks at SW19.
Murray's Ban Hint
However, Murray claimed that Wimbledon won't 'allow' him to play on Court 18 again, and he is set to return to a larger court. "Incredible," Murray said when asked about Fery's tale. "What a story and what a comeback as well down two breaks in the fourth set, a break in the fifth set, showed his fighting qualities. He loves playing on Court 18, he requested it again today. I don't know if he's going to be allowed to play on that court anymore for the rest of this tournament."
Clare Balding added: "I think it's highly unlikely, especially because next up he will meet the winner of the match that is now on Centre, which is Grigor Dimitrov vs Matteo Berrettini." Dimitrov went on to beat Berrettini, setting up a mouthwatering fourth-round clash with Fery.
Fery Accepts Move to Larger Court
Fery has already made peace with the idea of leaving Court 18 behind. "I actually didn't put any request in myself," Fery explained. "My team spoke to the club. Obviously the club knew that I won my second round on 18. I had a great experience there. But, yeah, I wasn't involved in any of that. I was really pleased to play on 18 again. Had great vibes on there on Thursday. I think it fit with the club's schedule."
When asked if he would like to stay on the same court for his last-16 clash, Fery replied: "No, I think it's time to move on. I'll keep those great memories on 18 from today and Thursday for the rest of my life. Yeah, I'm sure I'll play again on there at some point. We'll see what Monday holds for me."
