THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2026

Arthur Fery

Press Conference

A. FERY/D. Dzumhur

3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Arthur, great win today. How does it feel to get that under your belt?

ARTHUR FERY: Thanks, yeah. Feels really good. Really proud to be able to get through the first round again this year. Feels more normal, in a way, than last year.

Yeah, really happy with how I managed the match, and yeah, got through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. As you said, how it feels more normal, having played Wimbledon a couple of times now, does it feel different this time around?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, partly because - well, mostly because my ranking is higher, and I feel like I'm more deserving of being here on my own ranking. It's obviously, yeah, obviously unbelievable for us players who aren't in the top 100 to be able to get wildcards. I have been very well supported by the LTA and All England for these past years.

But, yeah, it feels more normal. Today I played, my opponent was not much higher ranked than me, so yeah, all that makes it feel more normal.

Q. There was obviously that point in the second set. He said he didn't think you were being honest about whether you stopped when he thought it was a let and you thought it was a let as well. I wonder, how did you see that whole kind of situation?

ARTHUR FERY: I mean, it was expected, to be honest. He does that with everyone. Yeah, I guess I was just ready for it before the match. He, I mean, if it's a let, it's a let for everyone, right, it's not just a let for him. Whether the point carries on or not, it's the same for both of us.

Yeah, he obviously wants to make a problem with the ref, with the umpire, and then is trying to speak to me about it. But, I mean, there is nothing to really speak about. Yeah, just trying to get the other player involved for no reason, yeah.

Q. When you say you were ready for it, does that involve taking the earbuds on? There's a picture on social media you sat there while he's talking away.

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I have been doing it for a while now. I don't use them every match. It helps me, as well. Not just for the opponent, but just in general for the crowd, and keeps me in my zone.

Q. Were you aware, or were you considerate of the fact of what happened yesterday with British players and whether that added any pressure to you today?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I mean, I knew that everyone had lost yesterday. Did it change anything for me? No, not really. I mean, yes, it's all the British players, but we're all individual and we all play for ourselves, right? I mean, it doesn't reflect in any way on me what the others do and vice versa.

No, I'm just playing for myself. Yeah, obviously it's great when other Brits win, but I have nothing much to do with them.

Q. I know you said you kind of were prepared for him to do that, given his history, but was that kind of still quite new for you, given how much time you have spent on the tour so far? Was that the first time you've been on the other side of the net of that? And how well do you think you responded given that you won loads of games in a row after that happened?

ARTHUR FERY: No, not really, to answer your first question. Yeah, whether it's in challengers or tour level or college or futures, yeah, it's just dealing with confrontation, I guess.

Yeah, to be honest, probably benefited me in a certain way, because I was a bit slow, a bit heavy on my legs, and so that got the spark ignited in me. Yeah, just got myself going.

Q. Is it difficult at all to maintain your concentration and what you're doing when you can hear someone sort of, like, talking to the umpire about you and what you have been doing? Is it difficult to maintain that focus?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, he wasn't talking about me to the umpire, I don't think. But yeah, I mean, when someone is complaining a lot at change of ends or in between points and stuff, it can be maybe at the start. But then, no, it didn't affect me too much today.

Yeah, I felt like at some point he was also getting physically and mentally tired, and then he just stopped talking, because he didn't have the energy to do that, as well.

So, yeah, but again, I was just trying to focus on myself and block out all the noise, and that's the best way to deal with those kind of situations.

Q. Can I ask you to expand a little bit on the use of earplugs and whether there was a specific, like, moment or instant where you're like I need to start using these to help me focus more?

ARTHUR FERY: No, not really. To be honest, I always carry an eye mask and earplugs in case I have a nap during the day or it rains and I'm stuck at the club.

Yeah, I can't remember where exactly, but yeah, start of this year I was in a match, and I knew they were in my bag. And I was frustrated with the noise around me at change of ends, so I just put them in. Yeah, from then on, I just kept them in my bag and use them from time to time. I find it helpful.

Q. How important do you think your good run at Queen's was and how much did that help and give you confidence coming into Wimbledon?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, look, every tournament is individual. But yeah, it's been great to be able to play lots of matches on the grass.

Yeah, it's definitely contributed to me being able to maybe turn around that match today. Yeah, just in general having a lot of matches under the belt is always useful.

Q. At the change of ends after the whole let incident, I think you said something to him and he wasn't happy, and the umpire said something to you. Can you remember what you said to him?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, I was just, I mean, I was trying to stay out of it, to be honest. And then again, we know with Dzumhur that he does that. It's one of his ways of maybe getting himself fired up or, yeah, I don't know, speaking to the other player.

But, yeah, no, he was just staring at me. I said, Well, stop staring at me, something along those lines. Yeah, but nothing more. Nothing more.

He knows he's in the wrong when he does these things. I think deep down he knows he's in the wrong.

No, just trying to make sure that it doesn't affect my emotional state. Yeah, just keep going with my match.

Q. While you have been speaking, it's confirmed you're going to play Otto instead of Ben. Is that a bit of a surprise for you, and does it present a bit of an opportunity for you?

ARTHUR FERY: Yeah, it's a surprise, yeah, definitely. But yeah, it's an opportunity. Virtanen won Birmingham and made final in Nottingham. Yeah, he beat Shelton today. He's obviously a great player, great grass court player.

So, yeah, we'll see how that is on Thursday. I haven't really thought about that match too much. I'm just happy with how today went, and we'll try to prepare and, yeah, do my best on Thursday.