Arthur Fery, the British player who captured worldwide attention with his fairy‑tale run to the Wimbledon semifinals, kept his momentum rolling this summer by booking a place in the championship match of the Winston‑Salem Open on Friday. The 24‑year‑old has navigated the ATP 250 tournament with a series of confident performances, beginning with straight‑set victories over Australian qualifier Cruz Hewitt and Dutch newcomer Mees Rottgering. Those early wins set the tone for a quarter‑final showdown in which Fery out‑lasted Serbia’s Aleksandar Kovacevic in three tightly contested sets, demonstrating both his physical endurance and his mental composure under pressure. In the semifinals, Fery met fellow Australian James Duckworth, a player he had already bested in Cincinnati just two weeks earlier.
The match progressed with Fery taking the first set 6‑4, and he was ahead 1‑2 in the second when Duckworth was forced to retire due to a lingering injury. Although the conclusion was not the ideal way to finish a contest, Fery expressed satisfaction with his performance and concern for his opponent.
"I’m really happy to be in the final," he said, adding, "Obviously, not the way I wanted it to end at all. I hope James is going to rest up and get ready for next week but very happy to be through." He reflected on his play, noting that his service game in the opening set had been strong and that he managed to secure the crucial break that gave him the edge. "He was serving very well and tricky but I managed to get the break and from then on I thought I was playing good," Fery explained. When Duckworth’s physical condition began to falter at the start of the second set, Fery recognized the difficulty of competing against a compromised opponent, yet he maintained that the overall experience felt positive, aside from a missed forehand that he felt could have been cleaner.
Fery’s ascent to this final marks a significant milestone in his career. Just eight weeks earlier he was positioned outside the top 100, but his Wimbledon semifinal run earlier this summer propelled him into the spotlight and set the stage for a new career‑high ranking that will be confirmed on Monday. The Winston‑Salem final, scheduled for Saturday at 9 p.m.
BST, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis, and Fery will face Peruvian rising star Ignacio Buse, the world No. 36, who earned his place by defeating Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 6‑2, 4‑6, 6‑1.
Speaking about the upcoming clash, Fery acknowledged the challenge ahead. "It’s going to be another tough match," he admitted. "Ignacio is playing really well. He’s a young guy who is breaking out so it’s going to be a great match.
Definitely a good week for both of us and I’m going to sit down with my coach and see what I can do to beat him." Buse, only 22, has already made a name for himself by capturing his first tour‑level title at the ATP 500 event in Hamburg in May, a victory that lifted him from a ranking of No. 135 a year ago to a seeded position at the upcoming US Open, where he will open against American Marcos Giron. For Fery, the Winston‑Salem final is not only a chance to claim his maiden ATP title but also a crucial preparation ahead of his debut in the main draw of the US Open, which begins on Sunday. His first‑round opponent at Flushing Meadows will be Italy’s world No.
14 Lorenzo Musetti, a formidable adversary with a versatile game that will test Fery’s all‑court abilities. The British player is aware of the difficulty of the task but remains optimistic, noting that the experience gained from deep runs at Wimbledon and now Winston‑Salem has equipped him with the confidence needed to compete at the highest level. The US Open coverage will be available live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options on NOW and the Sky Sports app for viewers who prefer contract‑free access.
In addition to the Grand Slam action, fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup, taking place at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, which will also be streamed via Sky Sports. Overall, Arthur Fery’s journey from a relatively unknown British hopeful to a contender in two major tournaments within a single summer illustrates the rapid rise of a talent that many now regard as one of the sport’s most promising young players. Whether he lifts the Winston‑Salem trophy or falls short, the experience will undoubtedly serve as a stepping stone toward greater achievements on the ATP Tour and in future Grand Slam events.