Arthur Fery has advanced to his first ATP Tour final following the retirement of his opponent, James Duckworth, due to injury at the Winston-Salem Open. Duckworth, an Australian player, was forced to withdraw from the semi-final match when trailing 6-4, 2-1, after calling for a medical timeout.
This marks a significant milestone for the 24-year-old Fery, making him the first British player to reach the final of this ATP 250 event. His impressive run follows a notable performance at Wimbledon in July, where he reached the semi-finals. Fery has also achieved a career-high ranking of 33 in the world, surpassing Cameron Norrie to become the British number one.
"I am really happy to be in the final," Fery stated. "Not the way I wanted it to end at all. I hope James will get well soon and rest up for next week. But I am very happy to be through."
Fery is set to face Ignacio Buse in the final. The 22-year-old Peruvian player secured his spot by defeating France's Benjamin Bonzi 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. Buse, ranked 36th in the world, will be competing for his second title of the season, having previously won at an ATP 500 event in Hamburg in May.
Only eight weeks prior to his Wimbledon semi-final appearance, Fery was ranked outside the top 100. His maiden ATP final comes shortly before the US Open, where he narrowly missed out on a seeding. Fery is scheduled to play against Italy's 13th seed, Lorenzo Musetti, in the opening round at Flushing Meadows.