British wildcard Fery stuns Cobolli to reach semi-finals
British wildcard Arthur Fery delivered a dominant quarter-final performance at Wimbledon, defeating ninth-seeded Flavio Cobolli 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 in front of approximately 15,000 home supporters on Centre Court. The 23-year-old, ranked 114th entering the tournament, had never previously progressed beyond the second round of a Grand Slam event. His victory marks a historic moment: Fery is the first men's wildcard to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals in 25 years, a distinction previously held only by Goran Ivanisevic, who went on to win the championship.
Fery's unexpected run comes against the backdrop of a remarkable personal recovery. Just 18 months ago, he was ranked outside the global top 500 after suffering a bone stress injury. His progression to the semi-finals—where he will meet French Open champion Alexander Zverev—ensures he will become the British number one and claim a ranking of 36th in the world. The quarter-final victory also yielded £900,000 in prize money, more than doubling his entire career earnings to date, and solidifies his place as only the fifth British player in the Open era to reach a men's singles semi-final at Wimbledon.
- British wildcard Arthur Fery defeated world number 10 Flavio Cobolli 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 in the quarter-finals
- First men's wildcard to reach Wimbledon semi-finals in 25 years; lowest-ranked player to do so since 2001
- Will face French Open champion Alexander Zverev in semi-finals; guaranteed to become British number one and rise to 36th globally