“A dream…” – Fery stuns Dimitrov from two sets to one down to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals
Two sets to one and a break down, Arthur Fery refused to let his Wimbledon dream die, fighting back to beat fellow wild card Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7) and reach the quarterfinals. He next faces Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
Artur Féry, Wimbledon 2026 | © Ella Ling/Shutterstock/SIPA
“A week ago, I would have been happy to win a few matches here – and now, winning four, I’m in the quarters. It’s a dream.” Arthur Fery could scarcely believe it, and few could blame him. The British wild card reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Monday, recovering from two sets to one down to beat Bulgarian wild card Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7) in three hours and 55 minutes on Centre Court.
The world No. 114 becomes the fifth wild card in the Open Era to reach the men’s quarterfinals here – the 11th at any major – and the first player ranked outside the top 100 into the last eight at Wimbledon since No. 144 Nick Kyrgios in 2014. He is also the first British wild card, man or woman, to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in the Open Era.
The match fell into three acts. For a set and a half serve held sway, with few break points and only Fery converting to edge ahead in the first. From there to the end of the fourth set, Dimitrov took command – the more aggressive, more creative and more clinical player – moving two sets to one clear and, at 4-3 in the fourth, a single break from the quarterfinals.
Then it turned. The 35-year-old, a former world No. 3 chasing his first Wimbledon quarterfinal since his 2014 semifinal run, lost three games in a row to surrender the set, and the decider became a swinging, nervy affair in front of a crowd firmly behind the home man.
Dimitrov’s forehand out by a whisker
It went to a 10-point tie-break, and the margins were merciless. Dimitrov nudged 5-4 ahead before a double fault pegged him back; a forehand out by a whisker cost him again, and though he saved himself with a fine backhand volley, Fery kept finding the lines off both wings. Serving at the death, the Briton closed it out 10-7, a Dimitrov backhand return into the net ending it on the first match point.
“I’ve got no words right now,” Fery told Centre Court, still catching his breath. “It’s incredibly tough to put words to what I’ve just felt – the support was phenomenal. First time on this court, five sets against an absolute legend of the game.” The moment carried extra weight for a boy who grew up in the tournament’s shadow. “I grew up five minutes from here. I grew up coming to watch matches on this court,” he said. “We’ve got probably the greatest of all time to watch in the front row. To be playing here, in front of all you guys, with the support, and winning – it’s unbelievable.”
Just trying to keep fighting, keep a good attitude, committing to what I’m trying to do on the court
Asked how he had turned the match around from two sets to one and a break down, Fery pointed to a pattern that has defined his fortnight. “It’s been the story of the tournament for me. I was really close to losing my last round as well, and again today, a break down in the fourth,” he said. “Just trying to keep fighting, keep a good attitude, committing to what I’m trying to do on the court. It paid off – playing really well with my back against the wall.”
Dimitrov left to a standing ovation. For a player whose recent Grand Slam history reads as a catalogue of cruelty – five successive majors ended in retirement, including last year here while leading Jannik Sinner – to fall this way, having gone the full distance and stood one break from the last eight, was its own kind of heartbreak.
Fery – Cobolli next
There was a small consolation buried in the numbers: a wild card ranked No. 146, playing in part to arrest a ranking slide, he at least equalled last year’s fourth round and held the points that came with it. And there was irony, too – his only previous Wimbledon meeting with a British player had been a win, over Andy Murray in the 2014 quarterfinals.
Fery, 23 and a Stanford graduate who only broke the top 200 last October, will next play Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli – a player he beat at this year’s Australian Open.
Wimbledon men’s singles 2026, 4th round results
J. Sinner [1] d. S. Mochizuki (Q): 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3
J. Struff d. H. Hurkacz: 3-6, 6-7(5), 7-6(2), 7-5, 4-2 Ret.
F. Auger-Aliassime [3] d. A. Davidovich Fokina [22]: 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-1
N. Djokovic [7] d. R. Safiullin (Q): 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
F. Cobolli [9] d. A. De Minaur [5]: 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3
A. Fery (W) d. G. Dimitrov (W): 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7)
T. Fritz [6] d. A. Bublik [10]: 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4
A. Zverev [2] vs J. Lehecka [13] – Monday
Wimbledon men’s singles 2026, quarter-finals
J. Sinner [1] vs J. Struff – Tuesday
F. Auger-Aliassime [3] vs N. Djokovic [7] – Tuesday
F. Cobolli [9] vs A. Fery (W) – Wednesday
T. Fritz [6] vs A. Zverev [2] or J. Lehecka [13] –Wednesday
