Fery-mania is sweeping Wimbledon as British tennis star Arthur Fery prepares for his semi-final match against German second seed Alexander Zverev on Friday. Fans gathered on the famous grass mound, traditionally known as Henman Hill and more recently Murray Mound, have proposed renaming it Arthur's Seat if Fery continues his meteoric rise.
Fans propose Arthur's Seat
Natalie Humphreys, who traveled from Glasgow to attend the championships, lamented the lack of suitable names beginning with 'f' but championed Arthur's Seat. “There’s literally nothing that begins with ‘f’. But could we make it Arthur’s Seat? It’s such a good one!” she said.
Humphreys was among thousands enjoying the added buzz after Fery's unexpected victory on Wednesday. “We’re big Murray fans, because we’re from Scotland, so it’s actually amazing to see someone British coming through and winning again,” she added. “He’s 23 so he’s a bit older than a lot of the new people coming up, and it’s almost like he’s got the maturity that younger players haven’t … so he seems to just be sailing through. It’s so exciting.”
Fery's quarter-final triumph
In Wednesday's quarter-final, Fery beat Italian Flavio Cabolli, buoyed by a rapturous home crowd. Fans roared as he won set after set, chanting “Let’s go Arthur, let’s go” and “Here comes the Fery.” Sarah Cadwallader from Dorset and her mother Jane Collishaw from Frome secured ballot tickets for Thursday and considered extending their visit. “I did say to Mum: ‘Should we give up our hotel and camp out tonight so that we can sit here and watch it?’, but I think you’d need a tent tonight,” said Cadwallader.
Cadwallader first saw Fery at the Queen's Club tournament in June. “I’d never heard of him before, to be honest,” she said, but was thrilled to see him at Wimbledon. She described being gripped by Wednesday's match: “I haven’t moved for three and a half hours … at the end it had been nearly five hours. I looked at my watch and I hadn’t got up. It’s been amazing.”
Expert opinions on Fery's run
Leon Smith, head of men's tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association, called Fery's progress “outstanding.” He noted that while Fery had recent successes at Queen's Club and the Australian Open, “nobody was going to predict a semi-final run, and maybe more.” Smith highlighted the crowd advantage: “There’s going to be times he’s feeling it physically. It’s amazing what adrenaline can do when you hear the noise of Centre Court – you go again, find a third wind.”
Simon Hayes, chief executive of Sport England, hoped Fery's run would boost tennis participation, similar to the impact of England's women's football team. However, he stressed the importance of using moments like “Fery-mania” to expand “opportunity and affordable access” across the country.
Jason Goodall, ESPN tennis commentator and former professional, described Fery's success as “one of the truly great sports stories,” capable of inspiring future generations. But he cautioned that Friday's match against Zverev “couldn’t be a stiffer test. He’s very much the underdog going into that match.” Goodall discussed Fery with Tim Henman, whom he formerly coached. “Tim’s just as impressed as I am in how he’s played,” he said. Yet he considered renaming Henman Hill premature: “It’s a big leap to be a Tim Henman. There’s a lot of work and a lot of time that will go in between now and achieving all that Tim did. But it’s a possibility.”
Fery's background and future
Fery's background in US collegiate tennis is a path the LTA increasingly encourages young British talent to pursue. Smith said this slower route has become more viable as careers tend to be longer. Joseph Ellis from Barnes, south-west London, backed Fery to reach the final: “It’ll be harder than his other games, obviously, but I reckon he’s playing well. He can carry that momentum forward, or he can give us a good game at least.”
Collishaw envisioned a vibrant atmosphere on Friday: “The way he’s playing and the confidence he’s got, I don’t see why he couldn’t do it. He’s going to have the crowd behind him as well, so I think that’s going to make all the difference.”
