Arthur Fery has written one of the most improbable chapters in Wimbledon 2026. The British wildcard came from two sets down to defeat Eastbourne champion Zizou Bergs 2-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(5) in a match lasting over four and a half hours.
Trailing two sets to one and 4-1 in the fourth, Fery appeared beaten. Three separate nosebleeds forced medical stoppages that disrupted the rhythm of the contest, drawing complaints from Bergs to the chair umpire over the frequency of the interruptions.
Yet Fery channelled the adversity into fuel. Each time he returned to court with his nose plugged, he found greater conviction in his serve and returns. The fourth-set tiebreak turned on a blistering crosscourt backhand pass that brought the court to its feet. In the fifth, Fery saved two match points before sealing victory in a super tiebreak at 10-5.
It was the first five-set win of Fery's career. At twenty-four, he becomes only the second British wildcard to reach the last 16 at a Grand Slam since Andrew Foster at this same venue in 1993.
Fery's path has been unconventional. Born in France to a French father and British mother, he grew up between the two countries before choosing to represent Great Britain. Developed away from the spotlight, far from elite academies, he climbed the Challenger circuit rankings with quiet determination.
His next opponent in the fourth round will be , another five-set survivor after his epic against . A battle of endurance and character awaits on the London grass.
