ATP Tour

Inspired wild card Fery fires past Cobolli, extends dream Wimbledon run to SFs

Arthur Fery continues to defy logic at the 2026 edition of Wimbledon.

The 23-year-old Briton, who entered the grass-court major with just six tour-level wins to his name, on Wednesday booked his semi-final spot with a stunning 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-0 victory against Flavio Cobolli. The World No. 114 Fery produced a high-class all-around performance under the baking London sun to overwhelm Top-10 star Cobolli and become the lowest-ranked men’s singles semi-finalist at SW19 since then-World No. 125 Goran Ivanisevic won the title in 2001.

“It just seems to be getting better and better every match,” Fery said in his on-court interview. “I just can’t believe it. Incredible, playing on Centre Court for the second time, a second win. I just can’t believe it.”

Fery, who is just the fifth British man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals in the Open Era after Roger Taylor, Tim Henman, Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie, will take on second seed and Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev, a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 winner against sixth seed Taylor Fritz, in Friday’s semi-finals at The All England Club.

“I guess it’s going to be a first time and we will figure it out as we go,” Fery said when asked about his plans ahead of his clash with Zverev. "I’m just going to keep going. I’ve been doing a great job over the past 10 days. I’m just going to do the same thing and see where that takes me.”

Fery snatched the opening set of Wednesday’s quarter-final by claiming the only break in the 10th game and then rallied quickly after falling 0-2 behind in the second set. The Briton forced a tie-break and then crucially kept his cool to take it after a series of exhilarating all-court points.

Fery, who had also upset Cobolli in the pair’s only previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting earlier this year at the Australian Open, then stepped on the gas to complete an ultimately resounding win. Rock-solid off both wings from baseline throughout, the 5-foot-9 Briton offered Cobolli little chance of mounting a comeback, converting three of seven break points he earned in the third set to cap a two-hour, 14-minute win.

“I played Flavio earlier this year and I beat him in Australia, which was a boost of confidence and I knew that I could do it,” Fery said. “Even though it was my first time in the quarter-finals and he has done it before in a Grand Slam, that gave me a little boost of confidence. I just kept going. I was very nervous beforehand but just kept going to the finish line.”

Fery finished the match having won 76 per cent (22/29) of points at the net, with the timing of his forays forward a crucial factor in his win just as it had been in his five-set comeback against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round.

Regardless of what happens in the last four against Zverev, Fery has enjoyed a career-defining fortnight so far at Wimbledon. The Briton is competing at a career-high World No. 114, having never even broken the Top 100, but is currently up 78 spots to No. 36 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He would rise to No. 26 if he goes on to upset Zverev.