Fery’s route to a Wimbledon upset: movement, net pressure and belief

Arthur Fery’s clearest path to the Wimbledon semi-finals is to deny Flavio Cobolli rhythm: return boldly, move forward often and use his speed to turn defensive points into attacking ones. The British wildcard is still the lower-ranked player, but his grass-court game has already carried him into the quarter-finals.

Fery, ranked 114th, has reached this stage after beating Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16 and fighting back from a set down in all four of his wins. His net numbers underline why he has been so effective at Wimbledon: he has won 78% of serve-and-volley points and 63% of all points finished at the net, one of the strongest marks in the men’s draw.

Cobolli brings a different level of established form. The Italian ninth seed has reached the top 10 during a career-best season, made last month’s French Open final and has shown he can play well on grass. The tactical challenge for Fery is to keep Cobolli from setting up his heavy forehand, especially by attacking second serves and using the backhand line to change direction.

There is also a psychological layer. Fery has already beaten Cobolli at a major this year, although that Australian Open meeting came with Cobolli affected by a stomach problem. Staying relaxed at home, close to the All England Club and surrounded by familiar routines, may be just as important as any shot pattern if Fery is to become only the fifth British man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.