Arthur Fery has ascended to such unexpected heights at Queen’s Club that he literally suffered a nosebleed on court.
The 23-year-old British wildcard, making his debut at the HSBC Championships, overcame French veteran Adrian Mannarino in straight sets to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Having just clinched the opening set after a tense tie-break, Fery was forced to call for a trainer as his nose began to bleed.
However, the British number five quickly shrugged off the issue, returning to win 7-6 (7) 6-4 and march into the last eight of the prestigious tournament. Following his victory, Fery playfully referenced the World Cup by scrawling “It’s Coming Home” on a camera lens.
“It’s so special to be playing tennis back home in London where I grew up, it’s unbelievable,” Fery said, reflecting on his achievement.
“It’s the best result of my career. My first quarter-final in an ATP tournament. It’s not easy. There are lots of ups and downs so I’m happy to get through. I can’t put too much pressure on myself.”
His progress ensures British representation in the quarter-finals, a prospect that seemed unlikely after Jack Draper’s withdrawal and Cameron Norrie’s first-round exit.
Earlier in the day, top seed Alex De Minaur cruised through his match against an increasingly disillusioned Denis Shapovalov. His 6-4 6-1 victory took a mere 63 minutes, with the Canadian seemingly having mentally checked out long before the end, sealing his fate with a meek double-fault on match point.
De Minaur, often dubbed an ‘honorary Brit’ during the latter stages of Wimbledon due to his engagement to British number two Katie Boulter, drew motivation from her recent success.
Boulter’s run to the semi-finals at the WTA event on the same court last week has clearly spurred him on.
“It’s amazing, it brings out the best in each other, we both have that competitive edge and it’s healthy competition,” he commented. “I have to do my best to at least match her performance or otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it. That’s my drive and my motivation.”
A deep run here and at Wimbledon could elevate De Minaur into the world’s top five, a feat no Australian man has achieved since Lleyton Hewitt two decades ago.
“I’m in a good spot right now, but I still have a lot of hunger and determination,” he added. “Hopefully by the end of this grass-court swing I can touch a new career high.”
De Minaur is set to face American world number 32 Brandon Nakashima in the quarter-finals.
