Arthur Fery targets historic Wimbledon semi-final against Flavio Cobolli
British wildcard Arthur Fery is aiming to become only the fifth British man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals when he faces Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old shocked the tennis world by defeating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16.
Ranked 114th in the world, the London-born prospect visibly mouthed his disbelief following that milestone victory.
He now faces a formidable challenge against the 24-year-old French Open runner-up on Centre Court.
Utilising sharp movement and net play
Standing at five feet nine inches, the home favourite lacks the towering stature of traditional grass-court specialists.
Instead of relying on unreturnable first serves, the agile right-hander uses exceptional athleticism to keep points alive.
Arthur is one of the best at retrieving balls and staying in the points.
Jamie Delgado
The British wildcard has dominated at the net, winning an impressive 78% of serve-and-volley exchanges during the championships.
Seven-time major doubles champion Jamie Murray noted that this aggressive tactical approach has been a crucial weapon throughout the tournament.
Neutralising the Italian threat
Cobolli arrives at SW19 enjoying a career-best season after breaking into the world’s top 10.
A former youth footballer for Roma, the powerful baseliner uses his explosive movement to unleash devastating forehands.
To counter this, BBC Sport analyst Murray suggests the British underdog must relentlessly attack his opponent’s second serve.
Returning serve and coming forward forces an opponent to come up with a passing shot straight off the return of serve.
Jamie Murray
By executing a swift ‘crush and rush’ strategy, the world number 114 can effectively rob his opponent of vital decision-making time.
A monumental quarter-final victory would firmly cement an unforgettable fortnight for British tennis on the hallowed lawns.