LONDON — Alexander Zverev is poised to chase yet another prestigious title, this time in the Wimbledon final, just weeks after securing his inaugural Grand Slam at the French Open.
Zverev put an end to the “Ferytale” journey of local wild card Arthur Fery, dominating the semifinals with a score of 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-4 at the illustrious All England Club on Friday.
“This Grand Slam has been my toughest challenge over the years, and now here I am, ready to compete in the Wimbledon final,” said the 29-year-old from Germany. “Now, all eyes are on the final match on Sunday.”
After achieving his breakthrough at Roland Garros in his fourth Grand Slam final, Zverev aims to become the first man in the professional era (since 1968) to clinch a second title at the following major event immediately after his first victory.
In the upcoming final, Zverev will face either the reigning champion Jannik Sinner or the illustrious seven-time Wimbledon victor Novak Djokovic, who were set to compete next on Centre Court.
Djokovic secured a win over Sinner in their previous clash, which spanned five intense sets in the Australian Open semifinals.
“No matter who I face, it’s going to be a tough match,” Zverev acknowledged. “But I need to believe in my abilities and focus on the goal ahead—that’s my mindset moving forward.”
Ranked 114th, Fery, who hails from just five minutes away from the All England Club and played at Stanford University, aimed to become the first wild card since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 to reach the finals.
“This is just the beginning for Arthur, and I genuinely believe he will achieve great things in tennis,” Zverev said, commending his opponent.
The weather was warm, hitting around 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius) in southwest London, bringing a slight breeze and more cloud cover than usual.
Despite the crowd’s support for Fery, Zverev maintained his composure, seizing control after Fery’s double fault early in the first-set tiebreaker.
The towering Zverev, standing at six feet six inches (1.98 meters), showcased his powerful serve, clocking in at an impressive 139 m.p.h. (224 k.p.h.), while Fery, at five feet nine inches (1.75 meters), served closer to 120 m.p.h. (193 k.p.h.).
British fans rallied behind Fery, chanting his name and enjoying their Pimm’s under stylish hats.
At one point, chair umpire Marijana Veljovic had to intervene, urging the crowd to maintain silence during the rallies.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please refrain from reacting until the end of the point,” Veljovic requested, later reiterating the need for quiet during play, to applause from the audience.
As the match concluded, Fery received a standing ovation, acknowledging the crowd’s support with gratitude.
“I know that 99.99 percent of the stadium was rooting for Arthur, but the atmosphere was incredible. The crowd was fair and supportive,” Zverev reflected. “This is one of the best crowds to experience tennis with.”
Previously, Zverev had never advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Now, he stands as the first German male to reach the Wimbledon final since Boris Becker faced Pete Sampras in 1995.
The last German man to lift the Wimbledon trophy was Michael Stich, who triumphed over Becker in the finals of 1991.
The women’s final on Saturday features two impressive Czech players: Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova.
