Arthur Fery faces Zverev in Wimbledon 2026 semi-final today
British wildcard Arthur Fery plays Alexander Zverev in the fery match today — Wimbledon 2026's first men's semi-final on Centre Court at 13:30 BST. The 23-year-old, ranked world No. 114, is two wins from becoming only the second men's wildcard to reach a Wimbledon final since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.
Key Takeaways
- Fery faces second seed and French Open champion Zverev at 13:30 BST on Centre Court.
- The Wimbledon-born wildcard reached the last four after five-set comebacks over Zizou Bergs and Grigor Dimitrov, then beating Flavio Cobolli.
- Fans have renamed the viewing hill Arthur's Seat, with crowds queuing overnight for semi-final day.
- Fery had nasal blood vessels cauterised mid-tournament after stress-induced nosebleeds paused earlier matches.
- Between matches he has been watching Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy for the first time.
How did Arthur Fery reach the Wimbledon semi-finals?
Arthur Fery's run has unfolded almost in his backyard. The 23-year-old wildcard grew up in Wimbledon and first picked up a racket aged four at Westside Tennis Club, a little over a mile from the All England Club, where coach Alison Taylor was a family friend.
Entering as a wildcard, Fery needed consecutive five-set comebacks against Bergs and Dimitrov, winning both in final-set tie-breaks after trailing. He then defeated Cobolli to set up a Centre Court semi-final against second seed Zverev.
Fery is bidding to become only the second men's wildcard to reach the Wimbledon final after Ivanisevic's 2001 title run. He told Queen Camilla after his Wednesday win that Sunday's final would fall on his 24th birthday.
Why are fans calling the hill Arthur's Seat?
Wimbledon supporters have renamed the famous viewing mound — previously known as Henman Hill and Murray Mount — Arthur's Seat ahead of Friday's semi-final. Spectators pitched up early, with Hal Cowling and his girlfriend joining the queue at 6.30pm on Thursday hoping for resale tickets.
Terri and Adrian Banks held No. 1 Court tickets but chose the hill instead to watch the British wildcard. "We could rename this Arthur's Seat tonight," Adrian Banks said. Teachers Jen McMillan and Anna Smrckova flew from Scotland on Thursday evening without sleep, citing Fery's match among the day's highlights.
Dame Anna Wintour, Benedict Cumberbatch, Baz Luhrmann and Louis Theroux were among the famous faces in the royal box. For more on how live sport pulls global audiences through shared viewing experiences, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
What setback did Fery overcome mid-tournament?
Stress-induced nosebleeds interrupted Fery's early matches, forcing stoppages during his wins over Damir Dzumhur and Bergs, with three separate bleeds in the latter contest. After beating Bergs, he underwent a minor in-tournament procedure to cauterise blood vessels in his nose.
Fery called it "a small thing" that did not hurt, and said he also stopped wiping his nose directly with a towel. The bleeding stopped in his last two wins over Dimitrov and Cobolli — six days after the procedure, despite NHS guidance typically recommending at least two weeks away from strenuous sport.
Can Fery beat Alexander Zverev today?
Zverev arrives as Wimbledon second seed and reigning French Open champion. Fery faces the biggest match of his career over best-of-five sets for a place in Sunday's final.
Off court, he has found time to relax by starting Coppola's Godfather trilogy — never having watched it before — and planned to move on to The Godfather Part II before the semi-final. Part III, he said, would wait until a potential final berth.
Full details of Fery's path to Centre Court are on the BBC, with the Guardian reporting how a nasal procedure and movie nights have shaped his fortnight.