Wimbledon star Arthur Fery continued his dream summer by reaching the final of the Winston-Salem Open on Friday.
Fery has paved his way through the ATP 250 event with a couple of routine wins over Cruz Hewitt and qualifier Mees Rottgering, and then a three-set victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic in the quarterfinals
And the 24-year-old advanced to the final after Australian James Duckworth – a player he also defeated in Cincinnati just two weeks ago – retired through injury with Fery leading 6-4 1-2.
“I’m really happy to be in the final,” said Fery. “Obviously, not the way I wanted it to end at all. I hope James is going to rest up and get ready for next week but very happy to be through.
“I played well in the first set. He was serving very well and tricky but managed to get the break and from then on I thought I was playing good.
“He was hindered at the start of the second set and I saw it. It’s never easy playing someone who you know is physically challenged, but overall it felt good apart from that last forehand.”
The Briton went on a fairy-tale Wimbledon semi-final run earlier this summer and he is set for a new career high Monday. Eight weeks ago, Fery was ranked outside the top 100.
Ignacio Buse of Peru will play Fery in the Winston-Salem Open final on Saturday
Fery will take on Peruvian Ignacio Buse in the final on Saturday Sky Sports Tennis from 9pm BST, the world No 36, who held off Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 6-2 4-6 6-1 to reach his second ATP Tour final.
“It’s going to be another tough match,” admitted Fery. “Ignacio is playing really well. He’s a young guy who is breaking out so it’s going to be a great match. Definitely a good week for both of us and I’m going to sit down with my coach and see what I can do to beat him.”
The highest seed remaining in North Carolina, 22-year-old Buse’s career highlight came in May when he claimed his first tour-level trophy at the ATP 500 in Hamburg.
A year ago Buse was ranked No 135 but he will be seeded at the US Open where he is slated to face American Marcos Giron in the first round.
Fery, who is set to make his main draw debut at the US Open starting on Sunday, faces a tough task against Italy’s world No 14 Lorenzo Musetti in the opening round.
The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports App. You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25-27 September live on Sky Sports.
