Alexander Zverev crushes Arthur Fery’s Wimbledon dream to storm into first final
Alexander Zverev’s Wimbledon hoodoo is officially over. Fresh from finally ending his Grand Slam drought at Roland Garros, the German continued his remarkable rise by ending Arthur Fery’s dream run with a ruthless straight sets victory to reach his first ever Wimbledon final.
The French Open champion needed just over two hours to beat British wild card Arthur Fery 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 on Center Court to book a match with either defending champion Jannik Sinner or seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic as he chases a second straight Grand Slam title.
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“It’s always difficult, whether it’s the champion or someone who’s won here 48 times,” Zverev joked when asked about his potential final opponent.
“But I have to believe in myself and I have to believe that I can win and that’s what I’m going to do.
Zverev, who finally broke through with his first Grand Slam triumph at Roland Garros after years of near misses, has looked like a transformed player all season long on grass. This confidence was on full display at Wimbledon, where he reached the final for the first time in his career.
ZVEREV ENDS FERY’S FABULOUS RUN
Arthur Fery threatened for a while to prolong one of the stories of this year’s championship.
The British wild card matched Zverev blow for blow early on, trading breaks before forcing the opening set into a tie-break. Center Court sensed an upset was brewing.
Zverev had other ideas.
The world number two produced a flawless tie-break, winning all seven points without reply before shifting gears.
The second set quickly slipped away for Fery as Zverev’s lush serve and heavy forehand began to dictate every exchange. Although the twenty-three-year-old player continued to fight and the home audience continued to cheer him on, the German’s experience gradually took over.
By the third set, Zverev was in complete control, calmly cruising to victory and becoming only the 13th man in the Open Era to reach the finals of all four Grand Slams.
Despite the Briton’s dream ending, Zverev was full of praise for his opponent.
“It was amazing… Arthur, what an incredible player,” he said.
“He’s going to be a senior on our tour because I think he’s going to be playing for 15 years or more and he’s going to have great results. This is just the beginning of his career and I really think he’s going to do amazing things.”
He also recognized the partisan atmosphere of the Central Court.
“I know 99.99% of the stadium wanted Arthur to win, but it was still such an incredible atmosphere,” Zverev said.
“It was such a fair crowd. I enjoyed every second of it. Many stadiums and crowds in the world can learn from this crowd.”
THE SUCCESS OF ROLAND GARROS CHANGED EVERYTHING
For years, Wimbledon remained the only Grand Slam tournament where Zverev tried to achieve deep success.
That no longer applies.
Since lifting the French Open trophy to end years of grief, the German has carried himself with a new level of confidence and authority. The hesitation that often defined his biggest matches is gone, replaced by the conviction of a player who knows he belongs on tennis’ biggest stages.
His victory over Fery not only secured a first Wimbledon final, but also moved him one win away from back-to-back Grand Slam titles, a feat accomplished by few players in the modern era.
“This Grand Slam has always been the one I’ve struggled with the most and now suddenly I’m in the Wimbledon final, so I’m incredibly happy and incredibly proud,” Zverev said.
“But we have one more game on Sunday and that’s what we’ll focus on.”
Whether it’s reigning champion Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic standing across the net, Zverev heads into Sunday’s final believing the next major trophy is within reach.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
10 Jul 2026 22:16 IST