Arthur Fery will rise to British number one on Monday following his straight-set defeat by Ignacio Buse in the final of the Winston-Salem Open. The 24-year-old lost 6-3 6-2 to Peru's Buse on Saturday, missing out on his first ATP Tour title but securing a career-high ranking of 33rd in the world, which will see him overtake Cameron Norrie as the top-ranked British player.
Fery's run to the final represents a remarkable ascent for the British player. Only eight weeks before reaching the Winston-Salem final, he was ranked outside the top 100. His breakthrough came at Wimbledon in July, where he captured public attention as a wildcard by reaching the semi-finals of his home Grand Slam. That performance at the All England Club propelled him into contention for major tournaments and earned him a place in the main draw of the US Open for the first time.
At the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina, Fery became the first Briton to reach the final of the ATP 250 tournament. According to the tournament's official reports, he entered the final ranked at No. 35 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, with a new career high awaiting him regardless of the outcome.
How did the final unfold?
The match remained competitive in its opening stages, with little to separate the two finalists. Buse seized the initiative by breaking Fery's serve to love and establishing a 5-3 lead in the first set. The Peruvian then dominated the second set, opening up a double break advantage. Although Fery recovered one of those breaks, he could not mount a sustained challenge as Buse closed out the match by winning three consecutive games.
Fery's path to the final included a significant stroke of fortune. According to ATP Tour reports, he reached the final after James Duckworth retired from their semi-final match following the loss of the opening set, allowing Fery to advance without completing the contest.
What does this mean for Buse?
For 22-year-old Buse, the victory marks a significant milestone in his career. According to Tennis Majors, Buse became the youngest champion in Winston-Salem Open history and claimed his second ATP Tour title overall. His first career title came in May when he defeated American Tommy Paul at the ATP 500 event in Hamburg, and this victory represents his first triumph on hard courts.
What happens next for Fery?
With minimal time to recover from his Winston-Salem campaign, Fery will travel to New York for the US Open, which begins on Sunday. He will compete at Flushing Meadows for the first time in the main draw, facing a challenging opening-round encounter against Italian 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti.
Fery is one of nine British players set to feature in the main draws at the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season. Joining him in the men's draw are Cameron Norrie and Jan Choinski, along with qualifiers Toby Samuel and Harry Wendelken, and lucky loser Jacob Fearnley. In the women's draw, Katie Boulter will compete alongside qualifiers Fran Jones and Harriet Dart. However, both Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu will miss the tournament through injury.
Key Facts
- Fery's runner-up finish at Winston-Salem elevates him to 33rd in the world rankings, making him British number one ahead of Cameron Norrie
- The 24-year-old's breakthrough summer included a Wimbledon semi-final run as a wildcard, lifting him from outside the top 100 into Grand Slam contention
- Buse, at 22 years old, becomes the youngest ever champion of the Winston-Salem Open and claims his second career ATP title
- Fery will make his US Open main-draw debut on Sunday, facing 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the first round
- Nine British players will compete in the main draws at the US Open, with two notable absences due to injury
