At the Tennis Channel desk yesterday, Danielle Collins was asked to predict an early ATP upset and hesitated, saying, “On the men’s side. It’s tough. I’m not sure on the men’s side.” Hours later, fate answered for her. The Australian Open delivered its first shock as 20th seed Flavio Cobolli fell to a British qualifier, proving Melbourne’s knack for swift, ruthless surprises. 

British qualifier Arthur Fery produced a major upset in the AO first round. He delivered a convincing win over Italian 20th seed Flavio Cobolli. The result marked one of the earliest shocks of the tournament.

Fery beat the higher-ranked Cobolli 7-6 (6-1), 6-4, 6-1 on John Cain Arena. Fery controlled key moments and closed the contest confidently.

Cobolli later admitted he was not feeling well. The 23-year-old said an upset stomach troubled him during the match. He called for the doctor just three games in. The on-court discussion included mention of “watery diarrhoea.”

Arthur Fery, 23, has already claimed two of his three tour-level victories at Slam events. Last year at Wimbledon, the then-No. 461 stunned Alexei Popyrin in the opening round. Coincidentally, Popyrin was the 20th seed, the same seed Fery recently ousted at the AO.

A former two-time ITA All-American at Stanford University, Fery showcased superb shot-making throughout his two-hour, 12-minute match. He converted six of his 10 break-point chances with precision and composure.

Cobolli struggled to find rhythm after taking a timeout. He could not counter Fery’s fearless baseline play at John Cain Arena.

The Italian had been instrumental in Italy’s third consecutive Davis Cup title last November. He clinched the final victory against Spain and saved seven match points against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in the semi-finals.

On the other hand, the 23-year-old Fery was playing his third match of the 2026 season. He went 1-1 at the United Cup, beating Stan Wawrinka in three sets before losing to Arthur Rinderknech 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 7-5 in a three-hour, 21-minute battle.

Fery began the AO ranked a career-high No. 185 in the ATP Rankings. He now aims to build on his momentum against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the next round.

And right after the match, the British qualifier shared his raw thoughts on the massive upset. 

Fery reacts after stunning 20th seeded Italian opponent

Arthur Fery was born to French parents with backgrounds in finance and sport. His story is not one of rags to riches. Both his upbringing and family support have shaped his journey.

His mother, Olivia, is a former professional tennis player. She also worked as a business development manager for the Lawn Tennis Association. His father, Loic, owns Ligue 1 football club Lorient.

Olivia flew to Melbourne on Saturday to watch her son make his Australian Open debut. Fery says having parents who understand professional sport has been a huge benefit.

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After his upset over the 20th-seeded Italian, Fery joked, “It seems I like drawing 20th seeds at Grand Slams. I love playing on big courts and big stages.” His humor reflected both relief and excitement.

Fery, who stands 5ft 9in, also praised his parents for their ongoing support. “They’re both extremely supportive. Not only now but in the past 10 to 15 years, I’ve been playing sports. It is important to recognise their help, not only now that I’m having success but also in the bad times in the past two years. It’s been a long journey.”

The 23-year-old’s progress has been slowed by injuries. He suffered a bruised bone in his arm, similar to an injury affecting British number one Jack Draper.

His breakthrough was also delayed because he chose to pursue his studies. 

Now, as he advances to the second round, the question is whether the Brit can beat the 26-year-old Argentine on January 21. Fans will be watching closely to see if Fery can continue his remarkable run.