From a Set Down to the Last Four
Arthur Fery produced a gritty comeback performance on Thursday in North Carolina, dropping the opening set to Aleksandar Kovacevic before reeling off five consecutive games from 5-5 in the second. The fourth-seeded Briton broke Kovacevic to clinch that set 7-5, then raced to a 3-0 lead in the third and never looked back, closing out a 3-6 7-5 6-3 victory to secure a place in the Winston-Salem Open semi-finals.
It marks Fery's first semi-final appearance since his memorable run at Wimbledon this past July, which catapulted the 24-year-old into the world's top 40. That breakthrough at the All England Club earned him direct entry into the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York for the very first time, a significant milestone in his young career.
A Familiar Opponent Awaits
In the semi-finals, Fery will face Australian James Duckworth, a matchup that should carry some confidence for the Brit. Fery already defeated Duckworth earlier this month in Cincinnati, so there is a recent blueprint to draw from. Duckworth advanced by beating Hungarian 15th seed Fabian Marozsan 6-7 7-5 (4-7) 6-2 6-4 in the other quarter-final.
Looking ahead to the US Open, Fery narrowly missed out on earning a seeding at Flushing Meadows and has been drawn against 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the first round. A deep run in Winston-Salem would provide ideal momentum heading into that Grand Slam opener. TennisDraw users will want to update their bracket picks with Fery firmly in form as the hard-court season reaches its peak.
