admin
Arthur Fery ended the 2025 season ranked 198 in the world. Fast forward seven months, and he is now up to 36th in the world rankings and the British number one for the first time.
While the curtains came down on Wimbledon at the weekend, the fairytale story of Fery’s magical run to the semi-final of his Grand Slam will bring a smile to the British public’s faces for some time yet.
Despite losing to second seed and Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev in the semi-final in SW19, his confidence on the court alongside athleticism to return points that seem impossible has seen him become the new face of British tennis.
Rewriting history as the first wild card to reach the last four of a Grand Slam in 25 years, the 24-year-old has enjoyed an enormous rise on both the ATP Tour and the Challenger Tour.
So, how did Fery go from playing across the pond in the US to the new British number one?
Embarking in college tennis
Fery enjoyed a successful junior career, reaching the third round of the singles draw at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon junior events while progressing to the semi-finals in Melbourne and at the All England Club in the boys’ doubles main draw.
However, after completing his junior programme, he embarked on an adventure across the pond through the US college system and competed in the NCAA.
Going to the prestigious Stanford University, majoring in Science, Technology and Society, Fery became one of the best players in the country and was ranked number one nationally in singles between 2021 and 2022.
Embed from Getty ImagesBecoming a professional
After playing in the doubles main draw at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2022, alongside two World Tennis singles titles to his name, the Brit stepped full-time onto the professional tours the following year.
Winning his first ATP Challenger Tour victory at the Nottingham Open in the summer of 2023, Fery received his first wildcard for the main draw at Wimbledon, where he lost to Grand Slam winner Daniil Medvedev in the first round.
The 2024 season saw him win his first ATP Challenger doubles title in Nonthaburi, alongside fellow Brit Joshua Paris, and also made the semi-finals in the singles draw.
However, it was 2025 that the British player arguably enjoyed his breakthrough season on the tour level.
Grand Slam statements
He won his first main draw match at Wimbledon after knocking out the 20th seed at the time, Alex Popyrin, then a month later, he secured his first Challenger singles title in Barranquilla – the biggest of his career so far.
Embed from Getty ImagesFinishing the season ranked just inside the world’s top-200, that allowed him to clinch a spot in the 2026 Australian Open qualifying, where he went on to win three rounds to make the main draw of his first Grand Slam outside of Wimbledon.
Not fazed by the occasion in Melbourne, Fery defeated Italian Flavio Cobolli in the first round – the early signs of what was to come from the Brit.
Qualifying for the Miami Open in March – defeated by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the opening round – Fery headed into the grass court swing full of confidence – and that was on full show in the first few tournaments in the UK.
The summer of 2026
Progressing to the semi-final of the Lexus Birmingham Open, followed by reaching his first ATP 500 quarter-final at the HSBC Championships, all set him up perfectly for his appearance at his home Grand Slam.
Receiving a wildcard for the men’s singles draw at Wimbledon this year, Fery overcame Damir Dzumhur in four sets in the first round before coming out on top of a five-set encounter with Finland’s qualifier Otto Virtanen.
In the third round, down two sets to one and a break down in the fourth, he then produced a stunning comeback to defeat Lexus Eastbourne Open champion Zizou Bergs to reach the second week of Wimbledon.
Embed from Getty ImagesA first appearance on Centre Court to take on the experienced Hungarian Grigor Dimitrov followed in the fourth round but, once again, Fery took down the former world number three in a five-set thriller to set up a clash with Cobolli.
Having already beaten the Italian at the Australian Open earlier in the year, Fery comfortably dispatched the ninth seed in straight sets, becoming the first wildcard to reach the final four in 25 years.
Unfortunately, Fery’s dream run in SW19 came to an end in the semi-finals after falling to defeat to second seed and Roland Garros winner Alexander Zverev – but this is just the beginning for the Brit.
Fery has now risen inside the world’s top-40 in the rankings, becoming the British number one after overtaking Cameron Norrie, and will now have direct entry into the US Open to round off an exciting year and plenty of more success to come.
