Britain's tennis landscape has a thrilling new contender after Arthur Fery delivered a monumental shock on his debut at the 2026 Australian Open. The 23-year-old from Wimbledon ousted 20th seed Flavio Cobolli in straight sets, marking one of the tournament's biggest early upsets.
A Sporting Dynasty: The Family Behind the Talent
Fery's breakthrough on the Melbourne hard courts is rooted in a formidable sporting pedigree. His father, Loic Fery, is a financial magnate with an estimated net worth of £278 million. Loic is best known as the owner of French Ligue 1 football club FC Lorient, which he acquired in 2009 and transformed into a model of financial stability.
Arthur's mother, Olivia Fery, provides the direct tennis lineage. A former professional player herself, she competed at the French Open in 1991. She was present in Melbourne to witness her son's career-defining win, a victory that was momentarily interrupted by Cobolli's struggle with stomach issues.
From Stanford to the Spotlight: Fery's Rapid Rise
Before turning professional, Arthur Fery excelled in the US college system, achieving a national number one ranking while at Stanford University. His professional trajectory has been steep: he reached a career-high ATP ranking of world number 185 earlier this month and was part of Britain's winning Davis Cup team in 2025.
His Grand Slam experience, prior to Melbourne, was limited to three appearances at Wimbledon. There, he announced his potential last year by defeating another 20th seed, Alexei Popyrin, to reach the second round. His career prize money of approximately £400,000, while impressive, is a modest sum compared to the vast wealth managed by his father's hedge fund, Chenavari.
The Business of Sport: A Father's Influence
In a 2021 interview, Loic Fery revealed the extent of his sporting passions and business acumen. A competitive tennis player in his youth, he also considered investing in English clubs Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United before settling on Lorient for its development potential.
He credited former Sunderland owner Ellis Short, whose son played tennis with Arthur, with offering valuable lessons in football investment. Under Loic's stewardship, Lorient recovered from a dire financial state to achieve balanced books for 11 consecutive seasons, bouncing back to Ligue 1 immediately after relegation in 2024.
Arthur Fery now prepares to face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the Australian Open second round. With a billionaire-backing father and a tennis-pro mother, his financial future is secure. Yet, for this rising British star, the true currency is success on the court, and a maiden run to the third round of a major would be an invaluable step in his rapidly ascending career.
