No repeat of Wimbledon heroics as Fery exits US Open

Arthur Fery was unable to replicate his Wimbledon heroics as his US Open debut ended in a first‑round loss to Italian 13th‑seed Lorenzo Musetti. The 24‑year‑old Briton had hoped to build on a sensational breakthrough run to the semi‑finals at his home Grand Slam this summer, a performance that lifted him from 114th in the rankings into the top 40. Having narrowly missed a seeded spot in New York—reserved for the top 32 players—world No. 33 Fery faced the talented all‑rounder Musetti in his opening match. Musetti, a quarter‑finalist 12 months earlier but absent from the last two majors because of a thigh injury, dashed Fery’s hopes of launching a revival by breaking back twice in the third set before sealing a 6‑3 6‑3 7‑5 victory. This marked only Fery’s second appearance at an overseas major, following his maiden Australian Open run in January. He was forced to wait longer than anticipated for his tournament debut on a rain‑delayed third day at Flushing Meadows, and the contest was ultimately played in blistery and humid conditions. Full of confidence after producing one of the major British stories of recent years at Wimbledon—and fresh from reaching his first ATP Tour final at the Winston‑Salem Open—Fery took the court on Grandstand, the US Open’s third‑biggest arena. The Briton wore ear plugs during every change of ends, just as he had done at Wimbledon to maintain concentration and block out distracting noise. Nevertheless, Musetti proved a silent assassin, biding his time and committing fewer errors when opportunities arose.