Most tennis players spend years climbing the rankings, fighting for points on the secondary Challenger Tour, and hoping for a lucky break at a Grand Slam. But every year at Wimbledon, a handful of players get that break without having to qualify: the wildcard. In July 2026, British wildcard Arthur Fery became just the second man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon men's singles semi-finals as a wildcard, beating world number 10 Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 on Centre Court. Fery, ranked 114th in the world, had never gone past the second round of a major before. Now he will face French Open champion Alexander Zverev for a place in the final.
A wildcard is a special entry into a tournament given by the organisers to players who do not have a high enough ranking to qualify automatically. The All England Club awards wildcards to a mix of promising young British players, injured players returning from layoffs, and former champions past their prime. Fery, 23, was awarded a wildcard for the 2026 tournament because his ranking – outside the top 100 – would not otherwise have secured him a place in the main draw. His run is a reminder of how a single invitation can transform a career.
“Explains wildcards in tennis and Arthur Fery's historic Wimbledon run”
The tradition of wildcards at Wimbledon dates back decades. In the men's singles, Goran Ivanisevic is the only other wildcard to reach the semi-finals, and he went on to win the title in 2001. Fery's feat is even rarer: he is only the fifth British man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, joining Andy Murray, Tim Henman, Roger Taylor and Cam Norrie. Before this tournament, Fery had just two Grand Slam match wins. He was ranked outside the top 500 only 18 months ago after struggling with a bone stress injury in his arm and did not enter the top 200 until October 2025. Now he will leave Wimbledon as the new British number one, guaranteed to rise to 36th in the world.
For UK readers, Fery's story is a classic underdog tale with a dose of royalty: Queen Camilla met him before and after his quarter-final, and he told her his birthday falls on the day of the final – Sunday – adding a touch of fairy-tale timing. His matches have been played in front of partisan Centre Court crowds of nearly 15,000. The practical impact on British tennis is immediate: a new British number one, renewed interest in the sport, and a spike in ticket demand for his semi-final. The wider lesson is that wildcards remain a vital route for home-grown talent to break through on the biggest stage.
Q: What is a wildcard in tennis? A wildcard is an invitation to enter a tournament without meeting the usual ranking requirements. The tournament organisers have a limited number of wildcards to give to players they want to include, often locals or stars returning from injury.
Q: How rare is Arthur Fery's achievement? He is only the second male wildcard in the Open era (since 1968) to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals. The first was Goran Ivanisevic, who went on to win the title in 2001. Only five British men have ever reached this stage.
Q: What does Fery's run mean for his ranking? Fery will rise from 114th to at least 36th in the world, making him the new British number one. If he beats Zverev and goes further, he could climb even higher.
What happens next: Arthur Fery will play French Open champion Alexander Zverev, the number two seed, in the semi-finals on Friday. If he wins, he would play in the men's final on Sunday, which also happens to be his 24th birthday. Regardless of the result, Fery will leave Wimbledon as the highest-ranked British man.