​Britain’s Arthur Fery added another extraordinary chapter to his Wimbledon fairytale by crushing Flavio Cobolli to reach the semi-finals. It’s 25 years since Goran Ivanisevic famously became the first wild card to win the men’s singles title, and Fery is now just two wins away from matching that historic feat. Having battled through deciding tie-breaks in comeback wins against Zizou Bergs and Grigor Dimitrov, the 114th-ranked Fery completely outplayed ninth seed Cobolli on Centre Court, taking the match 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0.
“It just seems to get better and better every match, I can’t believe it,” said Fery. “It’s incredible playing on Centre Court for the second time, second win. I played Flavio earlier this year in Australia and I beat him, and that was a boost of confidence. I was very nervous beforehand but just kept going until the finish line. That last game I felt emotions that I hadn’t experienced in my life before.”
Among the milestones for the 23-year-old was a first win against a top-10 opponent, with Cobolli having reached his maiden Grand Slam final last month when losing to Alexander Zverev—Fery’s next opponent—at the French Open. He is now the fifth British man in the Open era to reach the last four here, and by far the most unlikely, joining Andy Murray, Tim Henman, Roger Taylor, and Cameron Norrie—the latter of whom he will surpass next week to become British No. 1.
A more apt comparison might be with Emma Raducanu’s breakthrough run to the US Open title five years ago. Fery, of course, is a long way from matching that feat, but his steady, surprising march through a slate of opponents — in a format that tests five sets for the big matches — echoes Raducanu’s bold surge in New York. It’s easy to forget that Fery had won only two tour-level matches prior to this year’s grass-court season, the second of which came against Cobolli in the first round of the Australian Open in January. The Italian had been hampered by a stomach bug that kept him well below his best that time.
If Fery needed any reminder about the magnitude of the occasion, a handshake with the UK’s Queen Camilla as she made her way to the Royal Box before he went out on court would have underscored the moment. But the way the young man, born in France and raised just up the road from the All England Club, has handled everything with such calmness has been as impressive as any result.
Both players showed nerves early on, with Cobolli having the first opening at 3-3 in the opening set, only to go for broke on a forehand return and send it over the baseline. The excitable crowd began to rattle the Italian, who was understandably less than amused by a champagne cork popping between his first and second serves in the 10th game. A double fault handed Fery a first-set point, and a missed opportunity followed as the rally shifted tone. The match moved into a decisive second-set tiebreak, where Fery seized control, taking it 7-4, and then swept the third set 6-0 to seal a remarkable victory.
As he continues his unlikely Wimbledon run, Fery now awaits the French Open finalist Zverev in what promises to be a monumental test. If he can conjure more performances of this caliber, the fairy tale could yet reach its most storied height. For now, the 23-year-old has already written a chapter that will be remembered long after this fortnight, one that spotlights a young player’s poise, resilience, and the unpredictable magic of Wimbledon.