Fery Delivers First Australian Open Shock
British qualifier Arthur Fery turns a seeded matchup into his canvas, painting a straight-sets upset over Flavio Cobolli that echoes his Wimbledon magic and ignites Melbourne’s underdog fire.
On the sun-drenched hard courts of Melbourne, British qualifier Arthur Fery ignited the 2026 Australian Open men’s draw with a commanding upset over 20th seed Flavio Cobolli, 7–6(1), 6–4, 6–1. At 23 and hitting a career-high No. 185, Fery channeled the same audacity that felled a 20th seed at Wimbledon last year, when he stunned Alexei Popyrin as a No. 461 wildcard. The two-hour, 12-minute battle on John Cain Arena exposed Cobolli’s vulnerabilities, as the World No. 22 grappled with stomach issues that prompted an early medical timeout and scattered physio visits.
Fery’s Stanford-forged precision shone through, his heavy topspin forehands pinning the Italian deep while backhand slices disrupted rhythm on the plexicushion surface. He converted six of 10 break points, mixing crosscourt drives with inside-in winners to exploit every lapse. The crowd’s rising hum fed his momentum, turning potential interruptions into opportunities for reset.
“Incredible experience here,” said Fery in his on-court interview. “My first time playing a main-draw Slam outside of Wimbledon and it didn’t disappoint on such a great court with great fans as well.”
Qualifier’s poise overrides seeded disruption
Cobolli‘s discomfort set a fractured tone from the outset, his footwork hesitating after just three games as the trainer intervened. Fery, undeterred, leaned into one–two patterns—wide serves followed by crosscourt approaches—that forced errors from a baseline game usually built on flat returns. The Italian’s attempts at down-the-line counters lacked conviction, his energy ebbing under the January heat and internal strain.
This wasn’t mere opportunism; Fery’s two prior Slam main-draw triumphs had instilled a quiet certainty against top-25 foes. He varied depths to keep Cobolli guessing, turning the tiebreak into a clinic of controlled aggression. As the second set unfolded, the physio’s returns only amplified Fery’s edge, his fitness allowing him to extend rallies on a surface that rewards relentless depth.
Baseline fire fuels Melbourne breakthrough
Honed as a two-time ITA All-American, Fery’s shotmaking blended college discipline with pro-level bite, his forehand looping high before dipping sharply to elicit weak replies. Cobolli’s usual rhythm—relying on inside-out forehands to redirect pace—faltered, the stomach issue manifesting in shorter steps and unforced faults. Fery pounced with precise passing shots, hugging the lines to seal breaks that shifted the match’s psychological current.
The third set became a procession, Fery’s composure contrasting the seed’s visible frustration amid the arena’s electric buzz. His offseason focus on hard-court transitions paid dividends, transforming qualifier grit into main-draw threat. This victory, his second over a 20th seed at Slams, marks not just survival but arrival in Melbourne’s unforgiving bracket.
Next test sharpens rising momentum
With this straight-sets statement, Fery advances to face Miomir Kecmanovic or Tomas Martin Etcheverry, both veterans whose steady games will probe his depth further. The psychological lift from downing another seeded hurdle could extend his run, his fearless exchanges hinting at deeper disruptions in the draw. As the Australian Open‘s early chaos settles, Fery’s blend of tactics and tenacity positions him as the qualifier to watch.
