British wildcard Arthur Fery has made history at Wimbledon, securing a straight-sets victory in his quarter-final match, cheered on by Queen Camilla.
The 23-year-old, who hails from just 10 minutes away from the All England Club, triumphed over Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Centre Court on Wednesday afternoon, earning his place in the semi-finals.
Camilla, making an unexpected visit to the tournament, watched Fery's impressive performance from the royal box, dressed in a turquoise chiffon gown by designer Anna Valentine.
Following his emphatic win, she joined the rest of the crowd in a standing ovation for Fery, smiling and clapping enthusiastically.
Fery, now only the second wildcard in Wimbledon history to reach a semi-final, is set to face men’s second seed, Alexander Zverev, on Friday. After his victory, a visibly elated Fery told courtside interviewer Lee McKenzie: "I can’t believe it, it’s incredible playing on Centre Court for the second time, the second win."
When asked about his preparations for the upcoming semi-final, he admitted: "I don’t know as I’ve never been in this position before. I’m just going to keep going, I’ve been doing a great for the last 10 days I’m just going to keep going and see where that takes me."
His dominant 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 win against Cobolli followed earlier comeback victories against Zizou Bergs and Grigor Dimitrov, where he battled through deciding tie-breaks.
Fery dropped to the floor after delivering the winning ace, before approaching the net to shake hands with his opponent, as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
His parents, visibly emotional, watched alongside US actress Elle Fanning and adventurer Bear Grylls.
The Princess of Wales was among those congratulating Fery, writing on X: "A memorable day at @Wimbledon. Congratulations to Arthur Fery on becoming the first British wildcard to reach the Gentlemen’s Singles semi-finals in the Open Era, a fantastic achievement that has inspired so many. Wishing you the very best for the next round."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also posted: "What a moment for Arthur Fery. From wild card to Wimbledon semi-finalist, a brilliant performance on the biggest stage. Best of luck in your next match!"
Spectators shared in the excitement. Bettina and Clive Sanford from north London, who secured ballot tickets, described it as a "fantastic day," praising Fery’s "calm" demeanour and "amazing" play.
Liz Hardisty from West Sussex, witnessing the winning shot from Henman Hill, remarked: "It was really exciting and I’m glad I came… It was worth coming just to see him, such an underdog, a wild card to get to the semi-final – it’s virtually unheard of."
Fery’s remarkable run places him just two wins away from emulating Goran Ivanisevic, who famously became the first wildcard to win the men’s singles title 25 years ago. His journey continues on Friday, as he aims to extend his dream run at SW19.
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