A Record-Breaking Win for the Young Peruvian
Ignacio Buse had already turned heads when he defeated Tommy Paul to win the Hamburg ATP 500 title back in May, but the 22-year-old saved his most commanding performance for Saturday's Winston-Salem Open final. Dispatching Arthur Fery 6-3, 6-2, Buse became the youngest player ever to lift the trophy at this North Carolina tournament. From a 3-3 scoreline in the opening set, Buse reeled off six consecutive games to take complete control, breaking Fery twice in the second set and never truly looking back. It was a clinical display that left little room for the Briton to find his footing.
Fery's Silver Lining Before the US Open
Despite the defeat, Fery's week in Winston-Salem was far from wasted. The 24-year-old became the first British player to reach the final of this event and will climb to a career-high ranking of 33 in the world come Monday, leapfrogging Cameron Norrie to claim the British number one spot. Just eight weeks ago, Fery was sitting outside the top 100, so his trajectory this summer has been remarkable. He dazzled at Wimbledon by reaching the semi-finals and now heads to New York for what will be his debut at the US Open. His opening match at Flushing Meadows is no gentle introduction either: he faces Italian 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti. Fery was gracious in defeat at the trophy ceremony, acknowledging his team and insisting the season still has plenty to play for.
Fery is one of nine British players set to feature in the main draws at Flushing Meadows this fortnight, and TennisDraw users will be watching closely to see how far he can carry his summer momentum into the final Grand Slam of the year.
