British tennis sensation Arthur Fery is back on court this week at the Cincinnati Open, competing for the first time in a month since his unexpected journey to the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard. Fery, who took a short holiday and training block after Wimbledon, believes he is embarking on a new chapter in his career.
The 24-year-old arrives in Cincinnati with a career-high ranking of No 36. Despite this being his first direct appearance in a Masters 1000 event, Fery is seeded No 32 and will receive a first-round bye. He awaits either Australia's James Duckworth or a qualifier in the second round, with a potential third-round clash against fifth seed Alex de Minaur.
Fery's new ranking is significant as it allows him direct entry into the main draw of all regular ATP tour events, bypassing the need to compete in lower-level ATP Challenger events or qualifying rounds. He was ranked No 114 at Wimbledon and outside the top 150 at the start of the grass court season.
Fery expressed confidence in his ability, stating, “I was always confident that I could play with top players. But yeah, now having the ranking to back it up is really great.” He added that self-belief is necessary in the sport and comes from proving to himself that he can beat top players.