Arthur Fery keeps cool as Cruz Hewitt pushes him to the brink in Winston-Salem

Wednesday, 26 August 2026 at 00:25

Arthur Fery cheering and celebrating at Wimbledon

Arthur Fery made a successful debut against tricky opponent Cruz Hewitt, defeating the Australian 6-1, 7-5 in the first round of the ATP 250 Winston-Salem Open. The Briton picked up another win on his return to the courts, this time on hard courts, as he prepares for his US Open appearance in one week.

The 24-year-old was one of the breakout players of the European summer after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals at his home Grand Slam, defeating players such as Grigor Dimitrov and Flavio Cobolli along the way. His run eventually ended against Alexander Zverev in straight sets, but Fery produced an impressive campaign that once again gave the home crowd something to dream about, reminiscent of the country's best years with Andy Murray.

Since then, however, Fery has not had many opportunities to show his potential. He spent almost a month away from the courts before returning at the Cincinnati Open, where he defeated James Duckworth in the first round before losing to world No. 6 Alex de Minaur.

With few tournaments available before the US Open, Fery decided to add Winston-Salem to his schedule this week, where he entered as one of the tournament's leading names. He faced a difficult opening test against Hewitt, but the fourth seed controlled the match for long periods before eventually securing the victory.

Fery takes control early

The first set was controlled by Fery from the beginning, with the Briton taking advantage of Hewitt's struggles on serve. The Australian, ranked No. 368 in the world and the son of former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, had made a positive impression in his opening-round victory over Gorzny, but he struggled to stay with Fery after dropping serve twice in succession.

Fery, the fourth seed in Winston-Salem, was particularly consistent behind his first serve, winning 75% of those points compared with 57% for Hewitt. The Briton also won 65% of the points overall and closed out the set 6-1 after three consecutive breaks of serve, underlining the difference between the two players in the opening 40 minutes.

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Hewitt pushes Fery to the limit

The match became considerably more competitive in the second set. Hewitt saved a couple of break points at the start of the set to hold serve for the first time, before producing a surprise break of his own moments later. He then consolidated, moving ahead 3-0 and putting Fery under pressure as the teenager showed he was not going to let the match slip away easily.

Fery responded after falling 1-4 behind and facing two break points. The Briton recovered to win three consecutive games and level at 4-4, but the drama continued. Hewitt broke again to move 5-4 ahead and then earned three set points at 0-40, eventually creating five chances to close out the set during the 10th game.

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Fery held firm when it mattered most. He saved every opportunity, levelled at 5-5 and then won the final two games to complete a run of three straight games and six of the last seven to finish the match. The fourth seed ultimately avoided a deciding set and advanced to the third round in Winston-Salem.

Fery will next face either No. 14 seed Tomas Machac or qualifier Mees Rottgering for a place in the quarterfinals.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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