Australian Open 2026: Arthur Ferry causes first shock at Melbourne Park by defeating 20th seed Flavio Coboli
British qualifier Arthur Ferry caused the first shock on day one of the Australian Open by beating Italian 20th seed Flavio Coboli to win another prestigious Grand Slam title.
The 23-year-old Ferry had the biggest win of his career, having also beaten 20th seed Alexei Popyrin at Wimbledon last year, winning 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 6-1 in sunny Melbourne.
Coboly, who was out of shape from the start with a stomach bug, ran off the field at the end of the opening period to use the toilet.
“It seems that I really like being seeded No. 20 in the Grand Slam.” Ferry, ranked 185th in the world, joked after the game.
“I love playing in big courts and on big stages.”
The 23-year-old Coboly took electrolyte tablets provided by his doctor after leaving the court, and again asked to see the medical staff for a timeout after falling behind 3-0 in the third set.
Nonetheless, Ferry deserves high praise for the way he handled the situation on his overseas Grand Slam main draw debut.
