​British Wimbledon semi-finalist Arthur Fery has invited Prince George and Princess Charlotte to join him for a game of tennis after he met the royals at the men’s singles final. The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with Charlotte and George, arrived at the All England Club shortly after 3:00 pm BST on Sunday, receiving a standing ovation as they entered the royal box.
Fery, who turned 24 on the day, said: “I know the whole family are all tennis fans, so I told her if her kids ever wanted to hit, I’m free.” Prince William and Catherine congratulated the emerging star on his run to the semi-finals and wished him a happy birthday. Britain’s Arthur Fery then found himself the recipient of a birthday card from the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Speaking after their exchange, Fery expressed his appreciation for Catherine’s attendance at the men’s singles semi-finals, describing it as “great to have her there” and saying it was “a pleasure to meet her finally.” He added that she had wished him good luck for the remainder of the year and congratulated him on the two weeks of competition he had just completed.
Asked whether he thinks Catherine will accept his invitation to a hit with Charlotte and George, Fery replied: “Let’s see, I don’t know. Let’s see if I get the call-up.” Also in attendance were Lord Frederick Windsor, his wife Sophie Winkleman, and Lady Gabriella Kingston, who watched the men’s singles final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev on Centre Court. They were joined by Australian actress Nicole Kidman, American actor Rami Malek, British singer Raye, and former world number one Stan Smith.
After Sinner clinched the championship for a second consecutive year, Catherine, who is patron of the All England Club, presented the trophy to him. Fery, who entered Wimbledon at world number 114 and had never previously progressed beyond the second round of a Grand Slam, defied expectations by reaching the semi-finals. He is set to be confirmed as the new British number one and will rise to 36th in the world rankings on Monday, in addition to collecting £900,000 in prize money.
The day’s events have added another chapter to Fery’s remarkable journey from newcomer to the spotlight at Centre Court. As he continues to rise in the rankings, attention will likely shift to whether he can build on this breakthrough and what new opportunities may follow, both on and off the court.