'Feel like he belongs' - Arthur Fery now at home on Wimbledon's Centre Court ahead of Flavio Cobolli quarter-final, says Johanna Konta
Updated 08/07/2026 at 07:38 GMT+1
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Former British No. 1 Johanna Konta said Arthur Fery will continue to grow in confidence and "feel like he belongs" on Centre Court after his remarkable five-set victory over Grigor Dimitrov, which set up a Wimbledon quarter-final against ninth seed Flavio Cobolli.
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Brit Fery, ranked 114th in the world and a wildcard at this year's Wimbeldon, has surpassed all expectations, beating Damir Dzumhur in the first round before victories over Otto Virtanen and Zizou Bergs on Court 18.
That is the 23-year-old's favourite court, but he earned the opportunity to play on Centre Court on Monday against former world No. 3 Dimitrov.
It appeared Fery's admirable run might come to an end when he found himself 2-1 behind and a break down, in the fourth set, but he fought back to secure an unlikely victory.
"I think everyone is a bit in disbelief, but what an unbelievable match and that fighting spirit of Fery... honestly tremendous," Konta told TNT Sports and Eurosport.
"What was so incredibly impressive was that, when he was a break down in that fourth set, he really felt the match, he felt when Dimitrov started to get a little bit tight and started unravelling.
"At that point, Fery locked in so much, and he just railed off consecutive points. That was such tight tennis from someone who really hasn't been in this situation before, in the fourth round of a Slam."
It was the second consecutive five-set match for Fery, who also fought back from behind against Belgian Bergs.
"Hopefully, he'll be able to recover well enough, but if nothing else, the confidence that this must give him, knowing that whatever the situation on court he can find a way," Konta said.
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Fery will again be the clear underdog against Cobolli, who impressively beat fifth seed Alex de Minaur in straight sets in the round of 16.
The 24-year-old reached the French Open final last month, losing to Alexander Zverev.
Italian Cobolli is undoubtedly a rising star and in strong form, but Konta insisted that Fery can take heart from his display against Dimitrov on the biggest stage.
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"What we can definitely say for certain is that whoever's out on court, you always have a chance," she said. "That is always a given, because you never know what can happen out there.
"But more than anything, I think he now realises that he can also play on this stage, play in front of this kind of crowd.
"Maybe he was a little bit more nervous coming out into this match, as he had requested to play on Court 18 in those two previous rounds.
"I think he will just come out feeling like he belongs."
In the other confirmed men's singles quarter-finals, top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner faces Jan-Lennard Struff, while Novak Djokovic meets third seed Felix Auger Aliassime in a mouthwatering clash on Tuesday.
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