Henman optimistic about Fery's US Open prospects after Wimbledon breakthrough

British No 1 Arthur Fery enters the US Open hard-court swing with room for improvement, according to former British No 1 Tim Henman, who describes the 23-year-old's rise as 'exciting' after his stunning Wimbledon semi-final run.

Fery, who started the year ranked 185th in the world, rocketed to 36th following his breakthrough at the All England Club, where he became just the fifth British man this century to reach the second week and defied expectations by advancing to the semi-finals as a wild card.

Henman's View

Speaking at Royal Birkdale ahead of The Open, Henman called Fery's Wimbledon run 'amazing' and 'transformational' for his career. 'He started the year at 185, qualified in Melbourne, and then continued to improve. Getting to the semi-finals at Wimbledon ranked 114 was an incredible performance. It shows the fine margins at the top level,' Henman said.

The 24-year-old (Fery) now has a chance to plan his schedule with direct entry into Masters events for the first time, starting with the Cincinnati Open from August 13-23, followed by the Winston-Salem Open from August 23-29, before his US Open debut on August 30.

• Fery jumped from 114th to 36th in the world rankings after Wimbledon.
• He earned direct entry to a Masters 1000 event for the first time in Cincinnati.
• His US Open main draw entry is secured using July 20 rankings, so he is not seeded but could benefit from withdrawals.
• Henman believes Fery has 'areas he can improve' which is a positive sign for future growth.
• The British No 1 is set to compete in three American tournaments before the US Open.

What's Next

While Fery cannot improve his ranking for US Open seedings due to the July 20 cutoff, any withdrawals could still push him into a seeded spot. With his newfound status and a full schedule ahead, the 23-year-old will look to build on his Wimbledon momentum and make a deep run in New York.