Tennis enthusiasts congregated on Wimbledon’s iconic grass mound on Thursday, engaging in lively discussions about potential names for the area, currently known as Murray Mound, should the rising British star, Arthur Fery, continue his impressive ascent.
As excitement around Fery intensifies in SW19 and across the UK, anticipation builds for his upcoming semi-final clash against Germany’s second seed, Alexander Zverev, scheduled for Friday. Fans have largely settled on one suggestion for a new name: Arthur’s Seat.
“There’s literally nothing that begins with ‘f’,” expressed Natalie Humphreys, who journeyed from Glasgow to witness the championships. “But could we make it Arthur’s Seat? It’s such a good one!”
Humphreys was among thousands relishing the vibrant atmosphere at Wimbledon following Fery’s surprising win on Wednesday.
“We’re big Murray fans, because we’re from Scotland, so it’s actually amazing to see someone British coming through and winning again,” Humphreys noted. “He’s 23 so he’s a bit older than a lot of the new people coming up, and it’s almost like he’s got the maturity that younger players haven’t … so he seems to just be sailing through. It’s so exciting.”
She and her partner, Kai, had just returned from Boston, where they watched Scotland compete against Morocco in the World Cup. “We’re having such a sporting summer, living our best lives,” she added, expressing hopes that Fery would continue his success into a final against Novak Djokovic on Sunday.
Sarah Cadwallader from Dorset and her mother, Jane Collishaw from Frome, Somerset, managed to secure ballot tickets for Thursday and contemplated extending their visit to soak in the festive atmosphere on Friday.
“I did say to Mum: ‘Should we give up our hotel and camp out tonight so that we can sit here and watch it?’, but I think you’d need a tent tonight,”
Cadwallader remarked.
Cadwallader had called her mother on Wednesday to share her excitement over the match that propelled Fery into the quarter-finals. “[She said] ‘I haven’t moved for three and a half hours’, and then I said I hadn’t either, and at the end it had been nearly five hours. I looked at my watch and I hadn’t got up. It’s been amazing.”
She first witnessed Fery at the Queen’s Club tournament in June, admitting, “I’d never heard of him before, to be honest” and felt thrilled to see him competing at Wimbledon.
During Wednesday’s quarter-final, Fery thrived amidst a jubilant home crowd, who erupted in cheers with every set he won, chanting “Let’s go Arthur, let’s go” and “The way he’s playing and the confidence he’s got, I don’t see why he couldn’t do it. He’s going to have the crowd behind him as well, so I think that’s going to make all the difference.”
Collishaw anticipated a similar lively atmosphere on Friday. “Especially as a wild card. You wouldn’t have ever expected it, but it’s very cool,” she stated.
Joseph Ellis from Barnes, southwest London, expressed his delight at seeing a British player progress so far. “It’ll be harder than his other games, obviously, but I reckon he’s playing well. He can carry that momentum forward, or he can give us a good game at least.” he remarked.
He also has faith that Fery will reach the final. “nobody was going to predict a semi-final run, and maybe more”
Leon Smith, head of men’s tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association, described Fery’s journey as “There’s going to be times he’s feeling it physically. It’s amazing what adrenaline can do when you hear the noise of Centre Court – you go again, find a third wind.”
He acknowledged that while Fery had enjoyed success at the Queen’s Club championship and the Australian Open, “inspir[ing] a generation of girls to play football”
Smith emphasized that crowd support would be advantageous, particularly one that Fery knows how to harness. “opportunity and affordable access” he noted.
Fery’s background in US collegiate tennis is something the LTA is increasingly promoting among young British talent, as it has become a pathway for many players, allowing for longer careers.
Simon Hayes, chief executive of Sport England, expressed hope that Fery’s Wimbledon performance would inspire increased tennis participation, similar to the impact of England’s women’s football team in encouraging girls to play the sport. He stressed the importance of leveraging moments like “one of the truly great sports stories” to expand “couldn’t be a stiffer test” nationwide.
Jason Goodall, an ESPN tennis commentator and former professional player, referred to Fery’s Wimbledon success as “He’s very much the underdog going into that match,” capable of inspiring future generations to pick up a racket. He added that its David and Goliath narrative “Tim’s just as impressed as I am in how he’s played,”
However, he cautioned that the upcoming match against Zverev on Friday “It’s a big leap to be a Tim Henman,” “There’s a lot of work and a lot of time that will go in between now and achieving all that Tim did. But it’s a possibility. You’re in the conversation if you can keep working hard, and [Fery] seems to have a great attitude … he’s got a great chance.” he stated.
Goodall has discussed Fery with Tim Henman, whom he previously coached. “Tim’s just as impressed as I am with his performance,” he remarked.
Nonetheless, he thinks that suggesting the renaming of Henman Hill to Arthur’s Seat might be premature. “It’s a big leap to be a Tim Henman,” he pointed out. “There’s a lot of work and time ahead before achieving all that Tim did. But it’s a possibility. You’re in the conversation if you maintain your commitment, and [Fery] seems to have a great attitude … he’s got a great chance.”
