US Open 2026: Fery exits tournament after defeat
British number one Arthur Fery exits the US Open 2026 in the first round following a straight-sets defeat to Lorenzo Musetti in New York.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Arthur Fery suffered a straight-sets defeat (6-3, 6-3, 7-5) to Lorenzo Musetti in the US Open first round.
- The 24-year-old climbed to world number 33 following his breakout Wimbledon semi-final run.
- Matches at Flushing Meadows were delayed by rain and contested in hot, humid conditions.
Arthur Fery was unable to replicate his remarkable Wimbledon heroics as Lorenzo Musetti proved too strong in their opening match at the US Open 2026 in New York. The 24-year-old British player was hoping to build upon his sensational summer run at his home Grand Slam, an achievement that previously propelled him from 114th in the world rankings to inside the top 40.
Narrowly missing out on a seed among the top 32 players, the world number 33 drew a formidable opponent in Musetti during the first round. Musetti, a talented all-rounder who reached the French Open and Wimbledon semi-finals alongside a US Open quarter-final last year, missed the previous two majors due to a thigh injury. The former world number five demonstrated his elite level during the 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory.
Fery had to wait longer than anticipated for his tournament debut following a rain delay on the third day at Flushing Meadows, eventually stepping onto the court in hot and humid conditions. Fresh from reaching his first ATP Tour final at the Winston-Salem Open, the Briton played on Grandstand, the tournament's third-biggest arena, while wearing ear plugs during changeovers to maintain focus amidst the constant crowd noise.
"My serve really let me down today, which is not usually the case, but I've been struggling a little bit to find my rhythm on the serve."
Arthur Fery
Despite a promising start, Fery gifted his opponent the opening break through back-to-back double faults before dropping the first set. Musetti's trademark one-handed backhand continually troubled Fery throughout the second set. Although Fery threatened a comeback in the third by breaking serve to lead 2-0, a string of unforced errors allowed Musetti to surge ahead and seal the victory.
The decision to compete at the Winston-Salem Open immediately prior to the US Open provided Fery with valuable momentum and pushed him toward the top 30. However, the physical toll of playing deep into a tournament on North American hard courts right before a major, combined with the rapid adjustment to the sweltering conditions in New York, likely played a role in disrupting his serving rhythm during this opening-round encounter.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Despite the disappointment of an early exit, Fery reflected positively on a memorable year that saw him ranked outside the top 200 twelve months prior. With very few ranking points to defend during the upcoming Asian hard-court swing, British interest in the men's singles now rests on Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel, and Jan Choinski.
Source: BBC Sport
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