Arthur Fery flies British flag at Wimbledon with epic five-set victory

Arthur Fery defied persistent nosebleeds to win a five-set roller coaster against Zizou Bergs and reach the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time.

The 23-year-old wild card needed treatment three times for the issue, which has dogged him throughout the tournament, while he was 4-1 down in both the fourth and fifth sets.

But Fery showed huge courage and belief to fight back both times before claiming a 2-6 7-5 2-6 7-6 (3) 7-6 (10/5) victory after four hours and 38 minutes.

It was the first five-set win of Fery’s career and comfortably the longest match of his life, while he is only the second British wild card to reach the last 16 at a grand slam after Andrew Foster here in 1993.

And his victory on a raucous Court 18 took him into the top 100 of the rankings for the first time.

Carrying the hopes of the home country as the only singles player to make the last 32, Fery kept his cool impressively throughout, although the nosebleed-related breaks were tough on Bergs, especially one during the 10th game of the deciding set.

Usually players are only allowed to take one medical timeout for a single condition, but blood is an exception that requires immediate intervention.

Fery will seek medical treatment after the tournament that it is hoped will cure the problem, which has become an increasing issue during the grass-court season, for good.

Speaking in an on-court interview, Fery said: “It’s unreal. Four hours 40 with that support, it’s unbelievable. I requested to play on this court because it’s awesome. I had a great time on it in the second round and this trumps it but I got so much support, it’s awesome.”

Eyebrows were raised initially when the match was scheduled on the relatively small Court 18, where Fery defeated Otto Virtanen in round two, and long queues snaked around the outside with fans eager for a glimpse.

Fery was born in France and has French parents but grew up only 10 minutes from the All England Club.

He would have settled for an unseeded opponent in his first grand slam third round but Bergs, named after French footballer Zinedine Zidane, was certainly not to be underestimated having just won his first ATP Tour title at Eastbourne to climb to a career-high ranking of 37.

Bergs dominated the opening set, with Fery’s first nosebleed occurring after only four games, but the young British player turned things around in the second set, helped by some ill-timed double faults from his opponent.

Fery appeared to have the momentum going into the crucial third but Bergs stepped up again with a run of five games in a row, sealing the set with a Pete Sampras-style slam dunk smash, and seemed in complete control leading 4-1 in the third with a double break.

Fery looked to be tiring but, spurred on by the home crowd, back he came, and he turned on the style in the tie-break, whipping a forehand winner down the line on the run and then making a backhand volley at full stretch as he kept the dream alive.

Fery’s second nosebleed came during a hugely unsatisfactory break of more than 15 minutes, with both players heading off court to change their clothes, while Bergs also took a timeout for blister treatment.

Fery struggled to regain his physical intensity and Bergs once again moved to the brink of victory only to stumble.

It was clear heading into the tie-break that Fery, roared on by the home crowd, was the player who believed this was his moment, and so it proved.