THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2025

Arthur Fery

Press Conference

A. FERY/A. Popyrin

6-4 6-1, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Arthur, give us a sense on how it felt out there today in front of the home crowd.

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, felt great. Really happy that I managed to win that. Yeah, first main draw singles win here, so... Super happy with that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Especially after the last two years, especially last year when you went five sets to miss out on that first win here, does that make it even more special this time?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I think I used the experience from last year to get over the line today. But yeah, I mean, two years ago was against Medvedev, so I had not much expectation. Last year was really tough to lose in that manner.

So yeah, definitely very proud and very special moment today to win here, even though it was, yeah, getting tough in the third and the fourth. Yeah, really happy to win in four.

Q. Your family here today?

ARTHUR FERY: Yes. Yeah, friends and family here, for sure.

Q. Extra special for you having your locals here?

ARTHUR FERY: Very special. I live so close to here. Every year I'm very grateful to play here. Yeah, always got friends and family around the court supporting. I mean, I've been to this place since I was, you know, five, six. Now playing here and winning matches here is very special.

Q. (Question about the family being a sporting family.)

ARTHUR FERY: I guess so. We're just a sports family, I guess. We like a lot of sports. Yeah, I mean, hopefully the success keeps going.

Q. Can I confirm, would I be right in calling this your first tour-level win?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, you would be, yeah.

Q. On that, and on the last year you've had, you've struggled with injury, was there ever a time where you thought, Am I going to give this up, is it worth it, maybe not making the breakthrough that you wanted?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah. I never thought I was going to quit, but I was struggling to find answers to my issues. Yeah, it's been tough. I mean, in my rankings, I've seen nowhere near where I want it to be and nowhere near where my level is. So I still have a lot of work on that front to do.

Yeah, the past year and a half has been tough. Yeah, hopefully I'm over the worst of it, and I can now focus on my tennis and my career. I think I'm making good steps towards that.

Q. What was the injury exactly?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I mean, my big one was my arm. I mean, I was playing on and off last year. Yeah, overall took eight months out of my season last year. Then recently had a problem with my shin.

So yeah, still working on both of those. I think I'm in the right direction.

Q. You said you've been here countless times. What is your earliest memory of coming here? Do you remember watching any specific player?

ARTHUR FERY: I wouldn't say I have one match in particular. But I do remember coming after primary school. School finishes at 3:30 or 4:00. You get picked up from school, you're here on a grounds pass, you're loving life. Yeah, walking around the grounds on days like these, watching your idols play.

I remember watching a little bit of the Mahut-Isner match on 18. I was eight that year. I remember that. Yeah, countless memories of kind of coming in and watching until late, never really thinking that I could play here. Didn't even cross my mind. Now that I'm doing that, it's special.

Q. Dreaming of it but not thinking that one day not only would play here, but actually winning a match here against a seed.

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I mean, you can't really think about that when you're an eight-year-old, really. Yeah, I mean, for the past few years, it's been a privilege to play here. Hopefully soon enough I won't need wild cards to play here.

But yeah, very, very grateful towards the All England Club and the LTA that they've provided me opportunities to play here in the past three years. Today is super special to win a singles match.

Q. It's the hottest start to any Wimbledon tournament in the competition's 148-year history. How did it feel on court? Are you glad to be off, back into the air conditioned room?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I'm glad to be out of the sun. Yeah, I mean, it was hot out there, for sure. Hot out there. But I spent three years in America playing college tennis. We traveled around playing in the sun the whole year. I think the British sun is not the worst of them all.

But yeah, definitely, you got to figure out your hydration, preparation, not waste too much energy on other things 'cause, yeah, playing five sets is also a very different task than just playing three.

Yeah, I thought I handled it well. I'm sure it will be hot again on Wednesday. So I have to get ready.

Q. What would you tell fans to do to handle it as well as you did today during that performance?

ARTHUR FERY: Wear a hat (smiling). I don't know. Just drink water, not beer, I guess.

Q. Beating Popyrin today, he's one of the biggest guys on tour, got a huge serve. Men's tennis is kind of a sport of giants in a lot of ways. For you, showing your game can match up against a guy like him, can you talk about what that feels like?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I mean, very different kind of physiques on tour. Tennis is good for that. You don't just get one size fits all. Today we kind of played opposites with Alexei. Just trying to use my strengths to my advantage, try to return well and move well. He's served great. Saw quite a few aces fly past me today.

Yeah, try and use my size to my advantage and figure out other ways to have an impact.

Q. Recently you took part in a Tennis Premier League in India?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah.

Q. How did that come about?

ARTHUR FERY: It was at a time where I was really struggling with injury. I couldn't play tournaments, really, 'cause of the, yeah, the load. I couldn't play four, five matches in a row, which was my goal, obviously. When you enter a tournament, you want to get to the end of it.

The Tennis Premier League was a good way of playing competitive tennis-ish. Obviously, it's an exhibition. It was just tiebreaks. Not too much of a stress on the body.

I got the call up for that. Yeah, also just changed from just practicing for months on end. So yeah...

Q. A few weeks ago when you were at Nottingham, Fabio Fognini, today Alexei. Do you feel you're showing your best tennis at the minute?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I play well on the grass. I'm confident in my tennis. I just haven't really been able to play that much in the past, yeah, year or so.

Yeah, very confident in myself. I just got to try and stay healthy and keep improving. That's the most important. Yeah, the ranking will come. I definitely feel like I can play at this level.

Q. How will this victory change what happens next for you?

ARTHUR FERY: Nothing really. Yeah, for the moment nothing. Just a confirmation of my work, all the efforts that I've made in the past year or so.

But no, just going to try and practice as well as I can for Wednesday and get ready for that. Think one match at a time. Yeah, just going to treat it as a win and a small step in the right direction.

Q. Qualify for more tournaments with the ranking?

ARTHUR FERY: It's going to help my ranking, for sure. It's obviously a big tournament, more points than if I was playing a challenger. At the end of the day it's just a tennis match. Just got to treat it like that. It's not more special, more important than the match you play at Nottingham. Just got to stay on the right line and keep moving forwards.

Q. Obviously you knocked out Popyrin. Medvedev also has gone out of your section. You're playing one match at a time, but it must feel like a good section of the draw to be in.

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I guess. I took out a seed today. Yeah, I mean, all these guys are incredible players. They're all top hundred. I don't know who I'm playing Wednesday. I think, yeah, both guys are top 50.

It's just going to be another match. Got to get ready for it. Ranking, at the end of the day, doesn't mean that much. It's anyone's match on any day.

Just going to focus on myself and, yeah, keep moving in the right direction.