Taylor Fritz Reveals Why Arthur Fery’s Breakthrough at Wimbledon Doesn’t Surprise Him at All

Arthur Fery secured the biggest win of his career on Monday (July 6). In front of 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer on Centre Court, Fery, the last British man in the draw, clinched a 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7) win over former World No.3 Grigor Dimitrov to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.

Dimitrov, who took the first two sets off eventual champion Jannik Sinner in last year’s Wimbledon fourth round before retiring mid-match due to his right pectoral muscle injury, was aiming to reach the quarterfinals of a Major for the first time since the 2024 US Open. But Fery dashed that hope.

The wild card, before this Wimbledon, had never made it past the third round of a Major. But his breakthrough in his home Major doesn’t surprise Taylor Fritz at all.

I trained with him practically the whole week. I was playing very well; in fact, the following week I was a finalist in Turin. But Arthur beat me almost every day. I thought, ‘This guy is really good.’ I am not surprised at all by his breakthrough at Wimbledon; I knew from then that he could play at a very high level. He is making good use of a draw that has opened up, and his results do not surprise me.

Taylor Fritz said at the press conference after beating Alexander Bublik in the fourth round

Fery will expect nothing short of a tough match in the quarterfinals because he will be up against Flavio Cobolli, the runner-up at this year’s French Open (lost to Alexander Zverev). The Brit will clash with the Italian for the first time, having played in the first round of this year’s Australian Open, with the result going Fery’s way.

Taylor Fritz on the secret to his success on grass

Taylor Fritz is the winner of 10 singles titles, five of which he won on grass, including four Eastbourne International trophies. The American ace also made two finals on the surface this year but lost them: the Stuttgart Open to Ben Shelton and the Halle Open to Frances Tiafoe.

At the press conference after reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the fourth (and third consecutive) time, Fritz talked about his performance on grass.

On grass, I position myself extremely close to the baseline. I use a lot of first-step quickness and reach to cover the court. I love to use the slice backhand because here the ball stays low, forcing the opponent to hit uncomfortably. This tactic loses effectiveness on other surfaces, where the bounce favors the server after the return. On grass, however, I manage to neutralize many first serves and start points in advantageous positions.

Fritz reached his career’s first semifinal at Wimbledon last year. He lost the match in four sets to eventual runner-up Carlos Alcaraz, who lost the final to his arch-rival Jannik Sinner. Fritz will only set up a match against the four-time Grand Slam champion if they both reach the final.

In the quarterfinals, he will face Alexander Zverev or Jiri Lehecka. If he reaches the semifinals, he will face Arthur Fery or Flavio Cobolli. Fritz has made just one Grand Slam final: the 2024 US Open, which he lost to Sinner.

He also reached the quarterfinals of a Major for the first time this season because, prior to this Wimbledon, he fell in the fourth round of the Australian Open and the first round of the French Open. Before his defeats in Stuttgart and Halle, Fritz lost to Ben Shelton in the final of the Dallas Open. He last won a title at the 2025 Eastbourne International.

Also read: Flavio Cobolli Recreates Cristiano Ronaldo’s Iconic ‘Siuuu’ Celebration After Reaching Wimbledon Quarterfinals