Wimbledon: Britain's Arthur Fery defeats Grigor Dimitrov in five-set classic to reach quarter-finals

06.07.2026, 22:59 skysports.com

Arthur Fery - Britain's last remaining hope in singles - kept his Wimbledon dream alive as he sealed a sensational five-set victory against Grigor Dimitrov to reach the quarter-finals.

Fery, who will climb inside the ATP top 100, was aiming to become the first British wild card, man or woman, to reach the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam in the Open Era.

He edged out 35-year-old Dimitrov - a 2014 semi-finalist at the All England Club - 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 (10-7) in a classic encounter on Centre Court.

Born in Sevres, France, Fery grew up in London and attended King's College School in Wimbledon.Tennis is in his blood. Fery's mother, Olivia Fery (née Gravereaux), was a former player on the WTA Tour and played at the French Open in the early '90s.His father, Loic Fery, is the current president at FC Lorient, who compete in the French Ligue 1.Fery went to Stanford University, where he majored in Science, Technology and Society, as well as becoming one of the best tennis players in the country.Fery played main-draw doubles at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2022 before winning his first main-draw match at Wimbledon in 2025 and then sealing his first Challenger singles title in Barranquilla.The 23-year-old qualified for the Miami Open and reached the semi-finals of the Zagreb Challenger before the start of the grass-court season where he made the semi-finals at the Birmingham Open and then secured his first ATP 500 quarter-final at Queen's Club.Fery is coached by Benoit Foucher and Jeroen Benard.

"Where to start? I have no words right now. I'll do my best. It's incredibly difficult to put words to what I just felt on a tennis court. The support was phenomenal," Fery said on Centre Court.

"First time on this court, five sets against an absolute legend of the game. I grew up five minutes from here. I grew up coming to watch matches on this court."

He added: "We've got probably the greatest of all time watching from the front row [Roger Federer]. And now playing here in front of all you guys, having the support, and winning, it's unbelievable."

The 23-year-old entered the tournament as a wild card ranked 114, with only two Grand Slam victories to his name and never having won a five-set match.

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Now he has won two in a row, both from seemingly hopeless positions, after beating the Bulgarian big-hitter.

Having trailed Zizou Bergs 4-1 in both the fourth and fifth sets on Saturday, Fery was twice a break down in the fourth here but roused himself magnificently to set up a clash with Italian ninth seed and 2026 French ‌Open finalist Flavio Cobolli, who he beat at the Australian Open.

After all the doom and gloom surrounding British tennis to start the fortnight, Fery's run has been quite the plot twist, and the Centre Court crowd roared on their new hero.

"It's been the story of the tournament for me. I was really close to losing my last round as well," Fery added. "Just trying to keep fighting, keep trying to have a good attitude.

"I'm playing really well with my back against the wall and it paid off today.

"I couldn't have imagined it," he added. "Now winning four matches, being in the quarters, it's a dream of mine."

His victory makes him the first British wild card to reach the quarter-finals at a grand slam in the open era, while he joins Andy Murray, Tim Henman, Cameron Norrie, Roger Taylor and Greg Rusedski as home male members of the Wimbledon last-eight club.

Cobolli, who is cheering for Portugal in the World Cup, said: "I ​feel great. It was an incredible match for me. I played one of the best matches, especially on this surface ‌that is always tough to play on.

"Today I found a way to have a high level for, I don't know how much I played, but for all the match. I'm proud and happy ​to reach a second quarter-final in a row here at Wimbledon. That means a lot for me.

"I played for my first time here on Court One. The feeling on the court was incredible. I love to play there. The sound was amazing and amazing feeling with the ball."

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