Arthur Fery's maiden appearance in the US Open main draw concluded after just over two hours with a first-round defeat to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. The match, delayed by approximately four hours due to a downpour, saw Fery lose 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to the world No. 14.
Fery, who was ranked close to a seeded position and recently reached a Wimbledon wildcard semi-final, struggled with the humid conditions in New York. His shotmaking was hampered by the sticky air, and he found it difficult to maintain consistency. Despite showing flashes of his best play early on, particularly with his net game involving drop shots and volleys, Musetti proved to be a level above.
MUSSETTI DOMINATES
Musetti, returning from injury that caused him to miss the last two majors, demonstrated a stronger service game that Fery could not consistently break. Although Fery had opportunities, including squandering four break points in the second set, he was unable to capitalize due to unforced errors. A late surge in the third set saw Fery break Musetti's serve twice, but he faltered on his own service games, leading to a code violation for audible obscenity as he fell behind.
Fery's recent schedule, which included a Winston-Salem Open final appearance just days before the US Open, may have impacted his preparation. The loss serves as a learning experience for the young British No. 1, who has limited experience managing his tournament calendar at this stage of his career.
In other US Open news, fellow Briton Toby Samuel, ranked 1,871st in January 2025 and now in the top 100 after defeating Tomas Machac, will face world No. 19 Jiri Lehecka. Katie Boulter is set to play Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova, while Jan Choinski and Francesca Jones have had their matches delayed by rain.