Fery seeks birthday date with destiny as Djokovic eyes more history

LONDON, July 9 : Novak Djokovic's age-defying pursuit of tennis immortality continues on Friday with a Wimbledon semi-final against Jannik Sinner, although that blockbuster duel has been challenged unexpectedly for top billing.

British wildcard Arthur Fery has embarked on one of the most astonishing runs in Wimbledon history and another victory against French Open champion Alexander Zverev would put him into Sunday's final on his 24th birthday.

French-born Fery, who grew up a short walk away from Centre Court, is very much the outlier in a high-powered quartet.

A fortnight ago, ranked 114th in the world and with only two previous Grand Slam match victories to his name, he could have walked down Wimbledon High Street in complete obscurity.

FERY HAS BECOME FACE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Five victories later, including a thrashing of Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday in which he won the third set 6-0, Fery has become the face of this year's Championships.

He is only the second man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard after charismatic Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, who famously said a prayer before match point as he beat Pat Rafter to win the title in 2001.

Ivanisevic, however, was already a huge name, having finished runner-up at Wimbledon three times.

Fery's run has come from nowhere.

"You just don't want Arthur Fery to wake up because he is just playing such extraordinary tennis," former Australian player and BBC commentator Todd Woodbridge said.

Logic suggests the fairytale will come to an end against Germany's Zverev, who claimed his first Grand Slam title at the 41st attempt when he triumphed at the French Open and now seems to have cracked the grasscourt code.

ZVEREV GOING FOR BACK-TO-BACK SLAMS

Zverev had never