Sports Update 1 month ago ⏱ 4 min read

Wimbledon 2026 results: Arthur Fery 'fairytale' continues with victory against Grigor Dimitrov

Wimbledon 2026 results: Arthur Fery 'fairytale' continues with victory against Grigor Dimitrov
Wimbledon 2026 results: Arthur Fery 'fairytale' continues with victory against Grigor Dimitrov BBCWimbledon 2026 results: Arthur Fery stuns Grigor Dimitrov to reach quarter-finals BBCFery-tale continues into quarter-finals WimbledonBritish wildcard reaches Wimbledon quarter-finals in epic five-set match Sky NewsWimbledon: Britain's Arthur Fery on 'incredible' moment of having Roger Federer watch his Centre Court debut as he reaches quarter-finals Sky Sports
Just seven days ago, there was doom and gloom around the performances of British players at this year's Wimbledon.

Only four of the 19 Britons in the men's and women's singles draws made it through the first round, while both Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper were missing with injury.

Step forward, Arthur Fery.

On Monday, Fery played the match of his life to come back and beat Grigor Dimitrov in five thrilling sets to reach the quarter-finals of his home major.

Centre Court could not contain itself as Fery twice fought back from a break down in the fourth set to stun former world number three Dimitrov 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 (10-7)

Fery is the first wildcard and first player outside the top 100 since Nick Kyrgios in 2014 to reach the Wimbledon last eight in the men's singles.

Only once has a wildcard gone on to lift the Wimbledon trophy - and that was Goran Ivanisevic in his iconic 2001 title run.

While there would still be three matches to go to match that run - starting with Wednesday's quarter-final against Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli - Fery will be celebrating either way on Sunday, as it is his 24th birthday.

"What I experienced today, I'm going to cherish for the rest of my life," Fery said.

"Who knows, maybe I will never get to experience that ever again. It's the first time I'm playing on this stage.

"That might be the first and last time - but hopefully not."

On 5 January, Fery retired injured in qualifying for a Challenger tournament in Canberra.

Twenty-six weeks later, he stood on Centre Court as a Grand Slam quarter-finalist, arms aloft as he took in the cheers of more than 14,000 people.

Fery has spent all week mounting comebacks. He lost the opening set in his first two matches before winning in four, and was two sets to one down against Belgium's Zizou Bergs in the third round.

Despite Dimitrov being the veteran - with 61 Slam appearances to Fery's eight - it was the Briton who handled the occasion better.

"If you look at the two players' careers, Dimitrov has always buckled at the big moments," former British number one Greg Rusedski said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

"Fery stood tall, took advantage and said 'I'm going to find a way, I'm going to find a solution'.

"He deserves everything he got here today."

From a financial perspective, reaching the last eight means Fery will win at least ÂŁ480,000 in prize money - adding to the ÂŁ628,960 he had amassed in career earnings prior to Wimbledon.

Fery started the year as the world number 185. He will leave Wimbledon at worst 63rd in the rankings and will overtake Jan Choinski to become the new British number two.

Such a jump in the rankings will help him qualify automatically for the main draw of future Grand Slams, rather than relying on wildcards or going through qualifying - as he has done for all five of his appearances at majors.

"He's massively accelerated his career now," Jamie Murray, the former world number one in doubles, told BBC.

"He's going to be at all the biggest tournaments in the world and it will be much easier for him to plan his schedule.

"I think Challengers will be a thing of the past."

Recent French Open finalist and ninth seed Cobolli will be a step up in class for Fery - but he has shown a never-say-die spirit all week that will be hard to overcome

"This is a fairytale story. He is the real deal," Rusedski added.

"Let's not forget that he beat Cobolli earlier this year. The fairytale could continue."

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