Fery 'stands tall and takes advantage' to continue dream Wimbledon run

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Fery 'stands tall and takes advantage' to continue dream Wimbledon run Figure caption, GB's Fery stuns Dimitrov in five-set battle to reach quarter-finalsByAmy Lofthouse and Emily SalleyBBC Sport journalists at WimbledonPublished1 hour agoJust seven days ago, there was doom and gloom around the performances of British players at this year's Wimbledon. Only four of the 19 Britons in the men's and women's singles draws made it through the first round, while both Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper were missing with injury. Step forward, Arthur Fery.

On Monday, Fery played the match of his life to come back and beat Grigor Dimitrov in five thrilling sets to reach the quarter-finals of his home major. Centre Court could not contain itself as Fery twice fought back from a break down in the fourth set to stun former world number three Dimitrov 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 (10-7)Fery is the first wildcard and first player outside the top 100 since Nick Kyrgios in 2014 to reach the Wimbledon last eight in the men's singles. Only once has a wildcard gone on to lift the Wimbledon trophy - and that was Goran Ivanisevic in his iconic 2001 title run.

The Details

While there would still be three matches to go to match run - starting with Wednesday's quarter-final against Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli - Fery will be celebrating either way on Sunday, as it is his 24th birthday. "What I experienced today, I'm going to cherish for the rest of my life," Fery said. "Who knows, maybe I will never get to experience that ever again.

It's the first time I'm playing on this stage. "That might be the first and last time - but hopefully not. "GB's Fery beats Dimitrov in five-set thriller to extend historic run Published3 hours agoOn 5 January, Fery retired injured in qualifying for a Challenger tournament in Canberra, on the lowest rung of the professional tour.

Twenty-six weeks later, he stood on Centre Court as a Grand Slam quarter-finalist, arms aloft as he took in the cheers of more than 14,000 people. Fery has spent all week mounting comebacks. He lost the opening set in his first two matches before winning in four, and was two sets to one down against Belgium's Zizou Bergs in the third round.

What Experts Say

Despite Dimitrov being the veteran - with 61 Slam appearances to Fery's eight - it was the Briton who handled the occasion better. "If you look at the two players' careers, Dimitrov has always buckled at the big moments," former British number one Greg Rusedski said on Radio 5 Sports Extra. "Fery stood tall, took advantage and said 'I'm going to find a way, I'm going to find a solution'.

"He deserves everything he got here today. " Figure caption, His life will change now - Henman & Murray on Fery's stunning winFery grew up steeped in sport. His mother, Olivia, is a French former Fed Cup player who used to work for the LTA as a business development manager, while father Loic is an asset manager who owned Ligue 1 football club Lorient.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.