Arthur Fery, the British sensation who captured the imagination of tennis fans with his fairy‑tale run to the Wimbledon semi‑finals, 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 journey through the ATP 250 tournament has been marked by a series of confident performances, beginning with straightforward victories over Australian Cruz Hewitt and qualifier Mees Rottgering. Those early wins set the tone for a quarter‑final showdown in which Fery displayed his growing composure, edging out Serbia’s Aleksandar Kovacevic in a hard‑fought three‑set battle.
The semi‑final saw Fery face fellow Australian James Duckworth, a player he had already bested in Cincinnati just two weeks earlier. The match progressed until Duckworth was forced to retire because of an injury, with the scoreline standing at 6‑4, 1‑2 in Fery’s favour.
Despite the anticlimactic conclusion, Fery expressed genuine satisfaction with his progress. “I’m really happy to be in the final,” he said, adding that he hoped Duckworth would recover quickly and be ready for the next week’s challenges. “I played well in the first set.
He was serving very well and tricky but I 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.” Fery’s ascent has been nothing short of meteoric. Just eight weeks ago he was ranked outside the top 100, and his Wimbledon semi‑final appearance earlier this summer catapulted him into the global spotlight.
The Winston‑Salem final, scheduled for Saturday at 9 p.m. BST and broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis, will pit him against Peru’s rising star Ignacio Buse, the world No. 36.
Buse earned his spot by defeating Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 6‑2, 4‑6, 6‑1, marking his second ATP Tour final appearance. Speaking before the match, Fery acknowledged the challenge ahead: “It’s going to be another tough match.
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, the highest‑seeded player remaining in the North Carolina event, has already made headlines. In May he captured his first tour‑level title at the ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg, a breakthrough that propelled him from a ranking of No.
135 a year ago to a seeded position at the upcoming US Open, where he will meet American Marcos Giron in the first round. For Fery, the Winston‑Salem final serves as a crucial stepping stone toward his main‑draw debut at the US Open, which begins on Sunday. His opening‑round opponent will be Italy’s world No.
14 Lorenzo Musetti, a seasoned competitor who will test Fery’s newly honed skills. The prospect of facing Musetti adds an extra layer of excitement to Fery’s summer narrative, as he seeks to translate his recent successes on grass and hard courts into a deep run at the sport’s most prestigious Grand Slam. Beyond the on‑court drama, the coverage of these events is being amplified by Sky Sports and the NOW streaming platform, which offer contract‑free access to live tennis action.
Fans can follow the US Open scores, results, and upcoming matches, as well as enjoy video highlights and best‑shot compilations. The Sky Sports app provides additional news, video content, and real‑time updates, ensuring that tennis enthusiasts stay connected throughout the tournament season. Looking ahead, the Winston‑Salem final will not only determine the champion of the event but also provide a valuable confidence boost for both finalists as they head into the US Open hard‑court swing. For Fery, a victory would cement his status as one of Britain’s most promising talents and give him momentum against a world‑class opponent in Musetti.
For Buse, a win would reinforce his rapid rise and solidify his reputation as a breakout player capable of challenging established names on the tour. Regardless of the outcome, the match promises high‑quality tennis, with both players possessing powerful serves, aggressive baseline play, and the mental fortitude required to succeed at the highest level. Sky Sports will broadcast the encounter live, and viewers can also stream the action via NOW without a long‑term contract, making it easy for fans worldwide to witness what could be a defining moment in the careers of two of the sport’s emerging stars. In summary, Arthur Fery’s progression to his first ATP final in Winston‑Salem underscores a summer of remarkable achievements, from a Wimbledon semi‑final run to consecutive wins over seasoned opponents.
His upcoming clash with Ignacio Buse offers a compelling narrative of youth versus experience, and the result will shape the storylines heading into the US Open, where both players will aim to make a significant impact on the biggest stage in tennis.