The dream run of Arthur Fery at Queen's Club has been brutally snuffed out, leaving the 23-year-old Brit with a bittersweet taste in his mouth. The young gun had tantalisingly close to achieving a personal best by making it to the semi-finals of an ATP Tour event for the first time – and what a journey it would have been! His earlier victory over Adrian Mannarino was just the springboard he needed, but alas, he couldn't quite seal the deal against world number 27 Francisco Cerundolo in their closely contested quarter-final showdown.
The London heat was sweltering, but Fery's determination was even more scorching! Down a set and break to love, the underdog refused to back down. He clawed his way back into contention, taking a break lead in the decider only for Cerundolo to regain his composure and ultimately secure a 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-4 victory after two hours and 39 minutes of white-knuckle tennis.
Fery's performance at Queen's has been a career highlight, with his fearsome backhand keeping Cerundolo on his toes throughout. As he heads into the Wimbledon curtain-raiser on June 29th, this gruelling experience will have stood him in good stead for the biggest grass-court test of them all.
Before making it big, Fery honed his skills at Stanford University and drew on a rich sporting heritage from his family – his mum was a pro, dad owns French Ligue 1 side Lorient. It's clear that competitive fire has been burning bright within him since childhood.
Cerundolo will now face Brandon Nakashima for a place in the final after knocking out top seed Alex de Mura on Friday, but for Fery and British tennis fans, it's a case of 'what could have been' as they bid farewell to another promising tournament run. The absence of homegrown talent from the singles draws might leave a gaping hole, but we'll be watching with bated breath as our athletes continue to push for glory on centre stage.
When it comes to the financial benefits of sporting success, there's little immediate impact – but who knows what inspired youngsters will choose to take up tennis or sports equipment and event tourism could see a welcome boost in years to come? Meanwhile, Fery's family can perhaps start polishing those trophy cabinets as investment potential in their young star increases with each high-profile performance.