Arthur Fery sent British Wimbledon pulses racing on Monday as the local boy who grew up five minutes from the club, erased a deficit to land as a wild card into the Wimbledon quarter-finals

The French-born Fery, playing on a wild card, overcame popular Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7), coming from 1-2 and a break down in the fourth set and stretching the 35-year-old on the way to victory in four hours.

Dimitrov was riding a dream comeback after last year’s abdominal injury but was unable to reclaim the momentum against the eager youngster, last Brit standing in singles.

The match was played in front of eight-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer, a Royal Box guest for the day.

No. 114 Fery becomes the fifth wild card to reach the singles quarters here, advancing on his first match point.

“I have no words: my first time on Centre Court, five-sets and playing an absolute legend of the game…and playing in front of probably the greatest of all time (Federer). 

“I had been close to also losing in my previous match but I told myself to keep fighting and have a good attitude.

“I managed to play well with my back against the wall and it paid off again today.

“I could not have imagined this a week ago. I would have been happy to win a couple of matches. Now I’m in a quarter-final, a dream of mine.”

Roland Garros runner-up Flavio Cobolli dispatched Alex de Minaur with a clinical 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-3 fourth-round result to advance into a showdown with Fery.

The 10th-ranked Italian spent two and a half hours in defeating the Australian who has now been halted in the fourth round here for a second straight edition.

Both men ended with 24 winners, with De Minaur striking 40 unforced errors to 33 for Cobolli.

“It was an incredible match for me, I think I played one of the best matches ever, especially on this surface,” Cobolli said.

“I’m really proud and happy to reach the second quarter-final in a row here in Wimbledon. That means a lot to me.”

A dejected de Minaur cast momentary doubt on his entire career after the setback.

“I won’t play a tournament for a while… they (losses) just accumulate. And the goals, the beliefs, the dreams that you have start fading away or they feel a little bit further away than when they once were.

“I feel like a couple of years ago, I was definitely closer to that. Now it just feels like I’m getting a little bit further away from those dreams.”

Sixth seed Taylor Fritz reached a fourth quarter-final at the grasscourt major with a 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-4 win over Alexander Bublik.  

The pair of big hitters combined for more than 36 aces. Fritz stands 11-2 on grass this season, with both of the defeats coming in finals,

Main photo:- Wimbledon 2026 Day 8 Arthur Fery (GBR) celebrates as he beats set against Grigor Dimitrov – Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd

Jannik Sinner mowed down qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 7-6 (0), 6-3 on Sunday to book the Wimbledon quarter-finals for a fifth consecutive year and solidify his title defence.

The top seed, who has had troubles with summer heat, played in the relative cool of the evening against a Japanese opponent who won the junior tournament here in 0219.

Sinner won the opening set and endured a second-set pause while the roof was closed before sweeping the tiebreak ending to love to take a tight grip on the contest.

The Italian began the third set with a break and landed a winner to the corner on match point, 

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I handled some situations better than him,” the seed said. “He was coming from qualifying and should be proud of paying at such a high level for a long time.

“It was a very tricky match, his game suite the grass very well. I tried to stay aggressive, I’m happy with the performance today.

“I’m trying to step it up each day and play a bit better.”

Novak Djokovic continued to roll back the years on Sunday, with the 39-year-old setting another Wimbledon record with his 7-6 (6). 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of Roman Safiullin sending him into another quarter-final.

But the icon admitted that he did not feel on his game despite earning the win.

“To be honest, I haven’t felt really great on the court, so I was just relieved to get out of it and get a win.

“Satisfaction and enjoyment was not part of today’s win. Of course, I’m relieved and happy to win it, but I haven’t enjoyed.

“Hopefully the next match will be better in that sense.”

The seven-time champion at the All England Club moved into command as the player with the most victories at the event as he won the 106th of his career after more than two decades on court here..

Djokovic now stands three more victories from additional history as he chases an unprecedented 25th singles title at the majors.

He is now into his 17th Wimbledon quarter- final – 9th in succession – and his 66th appearance in the last eight of the Slams.

The seventh seed finished off victory after nearly three and a half hours with a reflex touch volley at the net on the first of three match points.

“It was another hard-fought win,” Djokovic said. “He started very well, very aggressive. I didn’t feel comfortable from the back of the court. It was a challenge to stay in the rallies.

“This was one of those days where I didn’t want the points to last for too long. I mixed things up with some serve-and-volley. My first serve got me out of trouble in the fourth set.”

Djokovic battled back from 5-2 down in the opening set against the 132nd-ranked qualifier., saving two set points before claiming the opener in a tiebreaker on his third opportunity.

He picked up pace in a clean second set but went down a break early in the third set to lose it before making a concluding recovery in the fourth..

“Game-wise, I didn’t enjoy my tennis. It’s also due to him putting a lot of
pressure on me, playing well,” Djokovic said.

“I kind of struggled to find the desired level in the game. But a win is a win, even if you win ugly. Hopefully I can build from this.”

Djokovic will meet in the quarter-finals against Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who booked his spot in the last eight over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-1.

Germany’s Jan Lennard Struff also advanced as Hubert Hurkacz retired in their fifth set to hand over a 3-6, 6-7 (5), 7-6 92), 7-4, 4-2 result after four and a half hours to send the Struff into a match against Sinner.

At age 36, Struff is the oldest man to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final in the Open era.

Naomi Osaka credited Japanese food prepared by her mother with helping her to her first career victory on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, a 6-2, 7-6 (2) upset of top seed Aryna Sabaenka on Sunday.

“Home cooking is powering me here,” the four-time Grand Slam winner on hardcourt said after reaching the London quarter-finals for the first time

“My mom is here and cooking Japanese food: Could I please have some more tonight?,” she queried to her parent in the player box.

“It’s been a long time since I had so much fun on a tennis court. To do it here really means a lot.”

Sabalenka took a rare defeat to the Japanese player, a former world No. 1, after defeating her  three times already this season. 

The tiebreak loss for the top seed was her first here since her 2017 debut. 

“I didn’t play my best, and she played probably her best, sometimes that happens,” Sabalenka said.

“You can do everything you can and still lose the match. Obviously I’m not really happy

“Well done for Naomi. Wishing her the best. With every game  I would feel worse, she would feel better. She would just go for her shots freely. I wouldn’t.”

The tournament is now without the top three women’s seeds, with exits already from No. 2 Elena Rybakina and defending champion Iga Swiatek, seeded third.

The showing is the best for Osaka in six Wimbledon appearances.

Fourth seed Jessica Pegula showed she’s the picture of consistency – and now a contender – as the American earned a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 comeback win over Iva Jovic.

The 32-year-old has reached the quarter-finals 10 times at the Grand Slams dating to 2021 and is now being tipped as a title contender after the exit of holder Iga Swiatek on Saturday.

Pegula was helped by a serving collapse from Jovic, who from 1-1 in the second set was broken five times on the way to the loss .

The winner improved to 7-1 on grass this season as she prepares for her second Wimbledon quarter-final appearance..

“You are always are trying to learn and push yourself,” she said in victory.

“I think I do a good job of keeping my emotions in check, and trying to not waste too much energy on being overly negative or even overly positive.”

Pegula revealed that in seven Wimbledon appearances, she has never played a match on Centre Court.

“It would be really cool, an honour, obviously. If I get there, it will be even better. If I’ve earned my spot: making a semi, knowing I can get there, that would
be awesome. 

“(Playing on Centre) you really get the true Wimbledon experience. You really get the feeling that you’re playing Wimbledon.”

Karolina Muchova outlasted 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova7-5, 5-7, 6-3, in an all-Czech fourth-round showdown.

Krejcikova won the last five games of the second set to square the match and broke her compatriot as Muchova served for victory the first time after gaining a 4-1 lead.

The winner – who eliminated the last Wimbledon winner remainingin the women’s draw – duplicated her quarter-finals here from 2019 and 2021.

“It was a very tough battle out there today,” the winner said. “Happy I managed to still produce a quality game in the third set after the second (where I had a big
lead.)”

Muchova said that even with a swoon in the second set  “I still felt good. I knew that.

“She started to hit really freely when I was 5-2 up. She played some good points. She just really went for it; she deserved the second set.”