Arthur Fery, the British sensation who captured attention with his fairy‑tale run to the Wimbledon semifinals, continued his impressive summer campaign by booking a place in the championship match of the Winston‑Salem Open on Friday. The 24‑year‑old’s path to the final was marked by a series of confident performances that showcased his growing stature on the ATP Tour.
Fery opened his Winston‑Salem campaign with straight‑set victories over Australian qualifier Cruz Hewitt and Dutch hopeful Mees Rottgering, both of which he handled with relative ease. Those early wins set the tone for his quarterfinal encounter against Serbia’s Aleksandar Kovacevic.
After dropping the first set, Fery rallied to claim the next two, demonstrating his resilience and ability to adapt mid‑match. The three‑set win propelled him into the semifinals, where he faced fellow Australian James Duckworth. The semifinal proved dramatic. Duckworth, who had previously fallen to Fery in Cincinnati just two weeks earlier, was forced to retire due to injury while trailing 6‑4, 1‑2.
"I'm really happy to be in the final," Fery said after the match, acknowledging the anticlimactic finish. "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." Fery reflected on his performance, noting that he felt in control of the first set and was pleased with his break of Duckworth’s serve.
He added, "He was serving very well and tricky but managed to get the break and from then on I thought I was playing good. He was hindered at the start of the second set and I saw it. It's never easy playing someone who you know is physically challenged, but overall it felt good apart from that last forehand." The British player’s ascent has been rapid. Just eight weeks ago he lingered outside the top 100, yet his Wimbledon semifinal appearance earlier this summer catapulted him into the spotlight and set the stage for a new career high that he hopes to cement in Winston‑Salem.
If he can capture the title, it will represent his maiden ATP final victory and a significant milestone on his journey toward the upper echelons of the sport. The final, scheduled for Saturday at 9 p.m.
BST, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis. Fery’s opponent is 22‑year‑old Peruvian Ignacio Buse, the world No. 36, who earned his place by defeating France’s Benjamin Bonzi in a tightly contested three‑set battle (6‑2, 4‑6, 6‑1).
Buse, the highest‑seeded player remaining in the North Carolina tournament, has already tasted ATP success, having captured his first tour‑level title at the ATP 500 event in Hamburg back in May. A year ago he was ranked No.
135, but his recent form has seen him rise sharply, and he will head into the US Open as a seeded competitor, slated to meet American Marcos Giron in the first round. Fery remains realistic about the challenge awaiting him. "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." Beyond the immediate stakes of the Winston‑Salem final, both players are looking ahead to the US Open, which begins on August 30 and will be streamed contract‑free on NOW and the Sky Sports app.
Fery, making his main‑draw debut at the Grand Slam, will draw a daunting opening‑round opponent in Italy’s world No. 14 Lorenzo Musetti.
The British youngster knows the road will be steep, but his recent performances suggest he possesses the tools to compete at that level. The Winston‑Salem Open, an ATP 250 event, has provided a valuable platform for emerging talents to test themselves against seasoned professionals. For Fery, the tournament represents a crucial stepping stone after his breakthrough at Wimbledon, offering both confidence and ranking points that could cement his place among the sport’s rising stars. Whether he lifts the trophy or not, his presence in the final underscores a summer of rapid development and hints at a promising future on the ATP Tour.
Fans can follow the final live on Sky Sports, and the match will also be available for streaming through the NOW service, ensuring that tennis enthusiasts worldwide can witness what promises to be an exciting culmination of Fery’s remarkable season so far.