Britain's Arthur Fery has reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon, a feat that guarantees him a potential £900,000 prize money and has captured national attention. The 23-year-old wildcard defeated Flavio Cobolli, the number nine seed, in straight sets on Wednesday.
Fery is scheduled to face Alexander Zverev, the second seed and recent French Open champion, in the semi-finals on Friday. His quarter-final victory was observed by his separated parents, Olivia and Loïc Féry, who both come from backgrounds with significant ties to professional sports.
His mother, Olivia, is a former tennis player who competed under her maiden name Gravereaux. She qualified for the 1991 French Open as a wildcard, mirroring her son's current Wimbledon journey. Her peak world ranking was 225. Fery himself reached a career-high ranking of 114 last week, a position expected to improve following his Wimbledon success.
Fery's father, Loïc Féry, is a multi-millionaire hedge fund manager who previously owned the French top-flight football club Lorient. He is estimated to have a net worth of €320 million (£273 million). Loïc Féry founded the investment firm Chenavari in 2007 after returning to Europe from Asia. He and Olivia divorced in 2022.
Despite being born in Sèvres, France, Arthur Fery grew up in London and attended King's College School in Wimbledon. He later earned a tennis scholarship to Stanford University in California, where he studied science, technology, and society. His mother, a member of the All England Club, played tennis with him on its courts during his childhood. He has credited his mother's professional background for encouraging his early interest in the sport.
Fery secured his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a wildcard, having not qualified through the standard routes. He is only the fifth wildcard entry in the tournament's history to reach this stage. Goran Ivanisevic, in 2001, is the only wildcard to have won the Wimbledon title.
During his Wimbledon campaign, Fery has experienced on-court nosebleeds, a recurring issue he has stated he intends to address. Notable attendees at Wimbledon this year have included Catherine, Princess of Wales, alongside former British tennis stars Andy Murray and Tim Henman. Roger Federer was also present in the Royal Box for one of Fery's matches.
Fery has previously represented Britain in the Davis Cup. His performances this year have marked a significant step up, including reaching the second round of the Australian Open in January.