Qualifier Arthur Fery was delighted his mother’s last-minute trip from Britain was worth it as he won again on his Australian Open debut. The 23-year-old Londoner cruised through qualifying without dropping a set before impressing at the John Cain Arena with a 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-1 win over an unfit Flavio Cobolli, who was clearly struggling with stomach problems.
The win comes six months after Fery toppled 20th seed Alexei Popyrin on home soil at Wimbledon, so being paired with an equal player here can be seen as a good sign. While Fery’s father and siblings watched at home in the early hours of the morning, his mother Olivia, herself a former professional tennis player, decided to head to Melbourne after his latest qualifying win.
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“When I won that last round, she asked me if she could come,” Fery said. “I said, ‘Of course, it would be nice to have you here’. It’s a long journey, of course, but at least I’ve taken care of it. He can see at least two games – hopefully more.”
Fery’s father Loic is also involved in professional sports as the owner and president of French top-flight football club Lorient.
Fery, who was born in France but grew up in Wimbledon, said: “It definitely helped me when I was younger in my development to have two parents who know how professional sport works, know the pressures of it and keep a good balance. I’m very lucky.”
In scenes more reminiscent of football, there were two lengthy delays in the opening set after both players called for a video review.
Cobolli, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last summer, claimed that Fery touched the net in the seventh game, while the British player clashed in the ninth game when he believed his opponent hit his serve underarm while the ball was still moving.
Both were obvious challenges – Fery was on the right in both cases – yet they took several minutes to resolve, leaving players anxiously waiting to continue.
“I didn’t know what was going on there, but I knew it was worth it,” Fery said. “When I asked to play the video, I knew the kid with the ball was still running, so it was worth the wait.
Fery, ranked 185, was playing only his fifth Grand Slam major but showed impressive confidence.
As a standout junior, he decided to delay his transition to the professional game to study at Stanford University, while his progress was also hampered by games with a bone bruise in his arm — the same injury that has sidelined Jack Draper.
In an up-and-down first set, Fery twice led by a break, failed to serve out, but then capitalized on a terrible tie-break played by his erratic and troubled opponent.
Listed on the ATP at a generous 5ft 9in, Fery makes up for his lack of height with amazing athleticism and a quick arm. He was in complete control as he played a brilliant return game to take the second set before going through in the third.
He will next face Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Fery said: “I feel really confident. I feel like I don’t have to play guys like that.”
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
January 18, 2026