Alexander Zverev’s thoughts on Wimbledon fans before his big semi-final against Arthur Fery
Alexander Zverev is the clear favorite as he takes to Wimbledon’s famous Centre Court on Friday. The world number three will face wild card Arthur Fery, whose amazing run to the semi-finals has won the hearts of fans at SW19.
On paper, Zverev looks to have the edge, but playing on grass could change things. The German knows exactly what to expect. Fery, born in France but raised in Wimbledon, has been representing Britain since 2014. After making it to the second round of the French Open earlier this year, the 23-year-old’s confidence has grown with every match at his home tournament.
Reaching the semi-finals is Fery’s best achievement so far. His opponent, who just claimed the French Open and made Wimbledon’s last four for the first time, knows he might be seen as the “bad guy” by the crowd. “I’m really happy to play him in the semis,” Zverev shared with Tennis365. “I know most people will be cheering for him, but I actually like that kind of atmosphere. The energy will be great, and I enjoy that.”
Zverev reached this stage by beating American Taylor Fritz in straight sets, after wins over Alexander Blockx, Valentin Royer, Marcos Giron, and Jiri Lehecka. Meanwhile, Fery’s incredible journey started with a tough four-set win against Damir Dzumhur and another four-set win over Otto Virtanen in round two. He then took down Zizou Bergs in a nail-biting fifth-set tiebreak, and did the same against Grigor Dimitrov in round four. In the quarter-finals, he beat Flavio Cobolli in three straight sets, finishing strong in the third.
Fery now hopes to be the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since Andy Murray’s win over Milos Raonic in 2016.