British No. 3 Arthur Fery dismissed national pressure and a royal guest to reach the Wimbledon third round, beating Otto Virtanen from two sets down.
Arthur Fery arrived at Wimbledon to win matches, not to pose for photos or shoulder the weight of national sentiment. On Monday, he proved it. 3 dropped the first two sets to Finland’s Otto Virtanen on Court 18, then reeled off 15 of the final 19 games to advance 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Fery, 23, erased a 4-1 deficit in the fourth set and closed out the match with a break in the fifth to set up a third-round date with either Taylor Fritz or Jannik Sinner. His victory came with Princess Kate watching from the royal box—though Fery said he never noticed. In a post-match press conference stripped of Wimbledon platitudes, Fery dismissed the idea that he was playing for Britain or any external narrative.
“I’m playing for myself,” he said. ” The bluntness cut through the usual tournament rhetoric, offering a rare glimpse of a player uninterested in the pageantry that often defines Wimbledon. The win marks Fery’s deepest run at the All England Club since 2021 and his first third-round appearance in a major.
It also arrives at a pivotal moment for British tennis, where top seeds Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper exited early. With the nation’s hopes now resting on Fery’s shoulders—whether he likes it or not—he’s treating the burden like a distraction rather than a motivator. Fery’s indifference to the trappings of Wimbledon extends beyond the royal box.
Unlike many British players who lean into the tournament’s ceremonial traditions, he has cultivated a reputation for on-court focus over off-court spectacle. His social media presence is sparse, his interviews are direct, and his game plan rarely wavers. This approach has drawn comparisons to players like Andy Murray, who prioritized results over optics during his peak years.
The contrast with British tennis’ recent struggles is stark. Raducanu’s first-round loss followed a string of injuries and inconsistent form, while Draper’s exit came amid questions about his readiness for the grass-court slam. Fery, meanwhile, has quietly built momentum through Challenger events and early-season grass tournaments, peaking at the right time.
His grass-court record this season—10-3 before Wimbledon—suggests he’s not just a beneficiary of others’ misfortunes, but a legitimate contender. The stakes rise sharply in the next round. Fritz, fresh off a straight-sets win over Thanasi Kokkinakis, looms as a potential quarterfinal opponent.
Sinner, coming off a five-set victory over Daniel Evans, would present an even stiffer challenge. Fery’s ability to maintain his tunnel vision will be tested against either man, especially on Centre Court or Court 1 where the weight of expectation tends to amplify. For now, Fery’s indifference to the royal box and the British media chorus feels like a breath of fresh air.
But as the tournament intensifies, the question isn’t whether he can win—it’s whether he’ll have to start pretending he cares. Fery’s next match is scheduled for Wednesday on Centre Court or Court 1, with the exact time and broadcast details to be confirmed by Wimbledon officials. British tennis fans hoping for a home hero will take solace in Fery’s pragmatic approach, even if it clashes with the tournament’s storied traditions.
His refusal to be swayed by external pressures could redefine what it means to represent the nation in modern tennis. Read at Mirror Sport
With top British seeds already gone, Fery has emerged as the unexpected home hope at Wimbledon. His refusal to play for the gallery or the royal box signals a mature, results-first mindset that contrasts sharply with the tournament’s usual theatrics. In an era where athletes are often expected to carry national narratives, Fery’s indifference to the optics marks a refreshing shift toward pure competition. His pragmatic path to the third round—underdog status, two-set comeback, and zero regard for spectacle—positions him as a disruptive force in a sport that often conflates visibility with success.
Mirror Sportmirror.co.ukBy mirrornews@mirror.co.uk (Jack McEachen, Fasika Zelealem)Jul 2, 5:07 PMen-gb
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