By Tony Fairbairn
- Arthur Fery [Q] def Flavio Cobolli [20] 7-6(1) 6-4 6-1
- Fery v Tomas Martin Etcheverry | H2H: First Meeting
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Arthur Fery cruised past an ill Flavio Cobolli to move into the second round where he will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
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Arthur Fery [Q] def Flavio Cobolli [20] 7-6(1) 6-4 6-1
Arthur Fery secured his first ever win in the main draw of the Australian Open as he knocked out 20th seed Flavio Cobolli. The Italian was struggling with stomach problems throughout the contest but it was a ruthless performance from Fery throughout the contest. The British qualifier made his mark on the match by breaking to love in the third game before saving two break points to consolidate the break.
It was an opening set that had many twists and turns with Cobolli eventually breaking back with some solid returning in the sixth game. Although, Fery restored his break lead immediately Cobolli continued to apply pressure on return and tested the Brit’s serving under pressure. The Brit fell under pressure in the first instance as Cobolli broke to love when Fery was serving for the set.
The qualifier aimed to make amends in the next game as he had another break point to take a 6-5 lead. However, Cobolli remained firm despite his discomfort with the opening set being decided by a tiebreak. Despite Cobolli’s best efforts, Fery was just too consistently strong in the big moments with the Brit only losing one point in the tiebreak to take a 64 minute opening set.
At the start of the second set Fery continued to take advantage of Cobolli’s stomach problems as he broke for a 3-1 lead with Cobolli struggling on serve. Despite his struggles, the 20th seed did break back to love in the fifth game as he attempted to make the match competitive.
Both players were extremely efficient on serve with Cobolli unwilling to engage on long rallies. However, it was Fery who was more persistent on return and the qualifier broke to love for the set to take a two set lead and the Brit continued to be clinical and consistent in the third set.
Two breaks of serve in the second and sixth games secured the biggest win of Fery’s career as he reached the second round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career.
Arthur Fery [Q] v Tomas Martin Etcheverry H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Arthur Fery [Q] v Tomas Martin Etcheverry | H2H: First Meeting |
| Australian Open 2026 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $225,000 |
| Second on Court Seven (01:30 GMT) | Discovery+ Add-on via Amazon Prime
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Fery will now aim to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career when he faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (Last 52 Weeks)
| H2H: | Arthur Fery (WR 186) | Tomas Martin Etcheverry (WR 62) |
| Tournament Previous Best | N/A | R3 (2024) |
| 1st Serve % | 55.9 | 62.9 |
| Service Games Won % | 77.4 | 80.6 |
| Break Points Saved % | 69.6 | 66 |
| 2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 52.3 | 49 |
| Break Points Converted % | 30.8 | 37.7 |
Fery will aim to continue his efficiency on return against one of the most consistent players on the tour.
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Playing styles and prediction
Martin Etcheverry had a decent season last year but is far away from the position he was in previously which saw him seeded at Grand Slams. The Argentinian has a brutal style of play which can see him wear down opponents with ease through consistent yet powerful groundstrokes. Now, Martin Etcheverry will aim to be clinical and aggressive as he looks to match his best ever performance in Melbourne.
Fery will aim to be aggressive and proactive on serve as he looks to take the match to the Argentinian. Meanwhile, Martin Etcheverry will aim for long rallies and will aim to tire Fery’s game out and testing the Brit’s physicality. Hot conditions and experience may play into Martin Etcheverry’s hands but if Fery can get off to a quick start then the Brit will start building confidence and that can be a dangerous thing as Cobolli found out in the opening round.
Prediction: Martin Etcheverry in five sets.
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