Arthur Fery Advances to Third Round at Wimbledon
Arthur Fery (left) reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time by defeating Finland's Otto Virtanen.
Standing at 5ft 9in, British number three Arthur Fery is shorter than many of his ATP Tour peers. Wimbledon’s grass courts often favor tall players known as 'servebots' who rely on powerful aces and unreturnable first serves, a category Fery does not fit into.
Despite this, the 23-year-old has demonstrated other effective skills and intends to utilize them against 6ft 1in Belgian Zizou Bergs in their Saturday match for a spot in the fourth round.
Currently ranked world number 114, Fery carries the hopes of British tennis fans at the All England Club as the only home player to reach the third round of the singles competition.
"Arthur has to be an exceptional mover - he's got a very good first serve, but he's not going to get as many cheap points by hitting people off the court," said Alex Ward, a men's national coach with the Lawn Tennis Association who has been guiding Fery. "He's had to have an all-round game, been able to come to the net, defend, attack, use variation. In general, if you are on the shorter side, you have to be better at the skill side, and fortunately, he is."
Fery possesses powerful groundstrokes and nimble movement, allowing him to approach the net and finish points with volleys. His composure and confidence on court are also significant strengths.
"He believes, not in an arrogant way, he can beat the players he's playing here," Ward added. "When you talk to him, and when we speak about matches or opponents, I get a real true feeling that he believes he can win matches. That's a massive thing to have, and it's a tough thing to be taught."
Family Background and Support
Fery, who grew up near the All England Club, exhibits a fiery competitive spirit he attributes to his parents. His mother, Olivia, is a former French Fed Cup player and previously worked for the LTA as a business development manager. His father, Loic, is an asset manager and former owner of Ligue 1 football club Lorient.
His parents were present to watch him defeat Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen, with additional family and friends cheering enthusiastically when he secured victory.
Fery thrived on the lively atmosphere of Court 18 and will return to the same smaller show court, rather than Centre Court or Court One, to face world number 37 Bergs. Wimbledon organisers noted that Fery prefers playing there and that this arrangement suited overall scheduling considerations.
On his status as Britain’s last remaining male player, Fery said: "I wouldn't say it's pressure. If anything, it's a good thing for me personally. Obviously for the Brits in general, it's not as good. We'd love to have as many Brits as possible in the third round. But there's no pressure attached to it. I play for myself."
The French-Born Star Carrying British Hopes
Although Fery grew up just a short walk from Wimbledon, his background extends beyond SW19. Born near Paris, his family relocated to Wimbledon when he was an infant.
After progressing through the LTA system, Fery attended Stanford University in California, where he pursued a degree in science, technology and society while refining his tennis skills on a scholarship.
Now back near his childhood home, Fery is experiencing the most significant success of his career.
"I grew up coming to the tournament, watching the players, and that definitely contributed to my development," Fery told . "I was trying to imitate players - like you do when you're a kid. Now I'm here winning matches. It's awesome."
His summers were spent at the family’s second home near La Rochelle on France’s west coast, and he also trained with relatives near Nice, an area known for numerous courts and academies, to develop his tennis talent.
Fery briefly represented France around age 10 before switching to play for Britain shortly thereafter. Since then, he says there was "no question" he would represent Britain professionally.
"By that point, there was really no decision to make. I was living here, I was training at the National Tennis Centre. I was in the system here," he explained. "I feel completely British now. Maybe 10 years ago if you'd asked me the question, it would be a bit different. Now I feel very British at heart."
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