Ranking Wimbledon’s men’s final 4, from Jannik Sinner to Arthur Fery

Ho-boy another Wimbledon final four rankings! Carlos Alcaraz is injured so, you know, probably the usual suspects … yep, Jannik Sinner (lame), Alexander Zverev mhmm he’s back (boring), oh look: it’s Novak Djokovic, still hanging on but not exactly a surprise (he’s won 24 Grand Slams). And the fourth guy is obviously one of Alex de Minaur or Felix Auger-Aliassime, maybe an American got in there … all very boring. So who could it be — Arthur Fery? Who the heck is Arthur Fery?

A British man, a wildcard and the 2023 Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year to be exact. Without spoiling too much more about our quatro-annual final four rankings, Fery actually grew up in Wimbledon and is now one match away from his first Grand Slam Final. It’s an absolutely crazy story!

To spice things up, I came up with a fun fact and a made-up award for each guy, because why not? And with Zverev having captured his first Slam at the 2026 French Open, Fery is our only potential first-time champion. While he has ridiculously long odds of winning it all, he has had ridiculously long odds in every match he’s played; what’s two more?

1. Jannik Sinner

Fun fact: Sinner has only played in one Wimbledon Final, beating Carlos Alcaraz in 2025

Made-up award: The late-career Kevin Durant Award for guy who has nothing left to prove somehow needing to prove something

Sinner had a disastrous (like, shockingly disastrous) performance at the French Open, losing in the second round after completely folding to the Paris heat. Cramps and hot weather have hampered Sinner throughout his career, so let’s check the forecast for Wimbledon on Friday … ah, 88 degrees and sunny. So, not exactly cool.

In order to become the all-all-all-time great he absolutely can be, Sinner needs to prove that he can get his fitness to the level where he can consistently win in any conditions. What made guys like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal so successful was not just how much better they were at tennis than everyone else (though they were better) but also how consistently they could produce that high level. It reminds me of LeBron James breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record. It wasn’t because he’s the greatest scorer in NBA history; it was because he kept up a high level of scoring for so much longer than anyone else ever. Sinner needs to get to that level. 

He can, and has, beaten Zverev and Djokovic, though we don’t have any data on the potential Sinner-Fery championship match. As there is with any tournament he enters without Alcaraz, there is no excuse for Sinner not to win.

2. Alexander Zverev 

Fun fact: In winning the French Open, Zverev has briefly pulled into fourth place all-time in men’s prize money, behind only the big three

Made-up award: The “Germany Fails at the 2026 World Cup” Award for having a chance to be the most successful German international athlete of the year

Zverev finally did it. He got off the hellacious bus ride to eternal sadness that would have kept rolling if he failed to win the French Open. But he did not, and years of questions about “will Zverev ever win a major?” or “did he miss his window?” are over. But it wouldn’t be pro sports if I didn’t immediately come up with new, harder to answer questions, now would it?

He won a major, cool, but he won it with Alcaraz out with injury and Sinner losing in the second round — he beat one top 10 player, number 10: Flavio Cobolli, who just lost to our guy Fery in the quarterfinals. So now comes the question: can Zverev beat one of his former demons?

He’s going to see one of Djokovic or Sinner in the Final if he gets past Fery, so that will be a fascinating angle no matter what happens. Two guys Zverev long suffered under the yoke of, one opportunity to make it all go away. And if Zverev captures tennis’ most prestigious tournament on its most glorious court? Then we can start asking if a true career shift is afoot.

3. Novak Djokovic 

Fun fact: In three meetings at Wimbledon, Djokovic is 2-1 against Sinner … though the wins were in 2022 and 2023

Made-up award: The Steelers Aaron Rodgers Award for the guy who could retire and nobody would blame him but he just likes his sport too much

I don’t actually think Djokovic realistically thinks he is going to win another major. He just won a five-hour marathon against Felix Auger-Aliassime and is staring down the barrel of a rested and pissed-off Sinner with something to prove. Djokovic has now gone two-and-a-half full seasons without a Slam, and he’s not getting any younger or more durable. But he also can’t quit; he just can’t.

There’s something admirable about a guy who always thinks he can win no matter the odds, still wants to put in the work, refuses to admit that he’s too old or too outmatched because he knows, at everyone’s respective peak, there was nobody better. I don’t know if Djokovic is holding onto a vision of himself that no longer exists, or if he just cannot imagine not playing Grand Slam tennis. I mean, what would he do all day? Golf?

He lives every day for the highest level of competition, to be in those battles and to continuously bang his head against every wall he can find because he cannot possibly do anything else. No truly all-time great player in any sport, other than Bill Russell, has nailed their exit, but I think this is weirdly the perfect coda to Djokovic’s career. He doesn’t just care about winning, because he hasn’t been winning for a while. He cares about the pursuit. And the pursuit never ends.

4. Arthur Fery

Fun fact: Having played at Stanford, Fery would be the first college tennis player in a major Final since University of Illinois’ own Kevin Anderson made the 2018 Wimbledon Final. College tennis! 

Made-up award: The Andy Murray Award for excellence in British tennis at Wimbledon that comes with the world’s most random home-field advantage

Alright it’s time for the main event, it’s Arthur Fery, our guy, the Brit, the underdog, he has an absolute gauntlet ahead of him, there’s absolutely no chance he wins this thing but, cmon. We’re all rooting for him. 

Fery defeated Flavio Cobolli in straight sets (including a brutal 6-0 third) for his first win over any player of note or renown … wait, this is the second time Fery beat Cobolli in a Grand Slam in straight sets this year?! He did this in the first round of the Australian Open too? Man, Flavio, we need to watch some film on Arthur Fery because he has your number.

Ho-boy another Wimbledon final four rankings! Carlos Alcaraz is injured so, you know, probably the usual suspects … yep, Jannik Sinner (lame), Alexander Zverev mhmm he’s back (boring), oh look: it’s Novak Djokovic, still hanging on but not exactly a surprise (he’s won 24 Grand Slams). And the fourth guy is obviously one of Alex de Minaur or Felix Auger-Aliassime, maybe an American got in there … all very boring. So who could it b — Arthur Fery? Who the heck is Arthur Fery?

A British man, a wildcard and the 2023 Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year to be exact. Without spoiling too much more about our quatro-annual final four rankings, Fery actually grew up in Wimbledon and is now one match away from his first Grand Slam Final. It’s an absolutely crazy story!

To spice things up, I came up with a fun fact and a made-up award for each guy, because why not? And with Zverev having captured his first Slam at the 2026 French Open, Fery is our only potential first-time champion. While he has ridiculously long odds of winning it all, he has had ridiculously long odds in every match he’s played; what’s two more?

1. Jannik Sinner

Fun fact: Sinner has only played in one Wimbledon Final, beating Carlos Alcaraz in 2025

Made-up award: The late-career Kevin Durant Award for guy who has nothing left to prove somehow needing to prove something

Sinner had a disastrous (like, shockingly disastrous) performance at the French Open, losing in the second round after completely folding to the Paris heat. Cramps and hot weather have hampered Sinner throughout his career, so let’s check the forecast for Wimbledon on Friday … ah, 88 degrees and sunny. So, not exactly cool.

In order to become the all-all-all-time great he absolutely can be, Sinner needs to prove that he can get his fitness to the level where he can consistently win in any conditions. What made guys like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal so successful was not just how much better they were at tennis than everyone else (though they were better) but also how consistently they could produce that high level. It reminds me of LeBron James breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record. It wasn’t because he’s the greatest scorer in NBA history; it was because he kept up a high level of scoring for so much longer than anyone else ever. Sinner needs to get to that level. 

He can, and has, beat Zverev and Djokovic, though we don’t have any data on the potential Sinner-Fery championship match. As there is with any tournament he enters without Alcaraz, there is no excuse for Sinner not to win.

2. Alexander Zverev 

Fun fact: In winning the French Open, Zverev has briefly pulled into fourth place all-time in men’s prize money, behind only the big three

Made-up award: The “Germany Fails at the 2026 World Cup” Award for having a chance to be the most successful German international athlete of the year

Zverev finally did it. He got of the hellacious bus ride to eternal sadness that would have kept rolling if he failed to win the French Open. But he did not, and years of questions about “will Zverev ever win a major?” or “did he miss his window?” are over. But it wouldn’t be pro sports if I didn’t immediately come up with new, harder to answer questions, now would it?

He won a major, cool, but he won it with Alcaraz out with injury and Sinner losing in the second round — he beat one top 10 player, number 10: Flavio Cobolli, who just lost to our guy Fery in the quarterfinals. So now comes the question: can Zverev beat one of his former demons?

He’s going to see one of Djokovic or Sinner in the Final if he gets past Fery, so that will be a fascinating angle no matter what happens. Two guys Zverev long suffered under the yoke of, one opportunity to make it all go away. And if Zverev captures tennis’ most prestigious tournament on its most glorious court? Then we can start asking if a true career shift is afoot.

3. Novak Djokovic 

Fun fact: In three meetings at Wimbledon, Djokovic is 2-1 against Sinner … though the wins were in 2022 and 2023

Made-up Award: The Steelers Aaron Rodgers Award for the guy who could retire and nobody would blame him but he just likes his sport too much

I don’t actually think Djokovic realistically thinks he is going to win another major. He just won a five-hour marathon against Felix Auger-Aliassime and is staring down the barrel of a rested and pissed-off Sinner with something to prove. Djokovic has now gone two-and-a-half full seasons without a Slam, and he’s not getting any younger or more durable. But he also can’t quit; he just can’t.

There’s something admirable about a guy who always thinks he can win no matter the odds, still wants to put in the work, refuses to admit that he’s too old or too outmatched because he knows, at everyone’s respective peak, there was nobody better. I don’t know if Djokovic is holding onto a vision of himself that no longer exists, or if he just cannot imagine not playing Grand Slam tennis. I mean, what would he do all day? Golf?

He lives every day for the highest level of competition, to be in those battles and to continuously bang his head against every wall he can find because he cannot possibly do anything else. No truly all-time great player in any sport, other than Bill Russell, has nailed their exit, but I think this is weirdly the perfect coda to Djokovic’s career. He doesn’t just care about winning, because he hasn’t been winning for a while. He cares about the pursuit. And the pursuit never ends.

4. Arthur Fery

Fun fact: Having played at Stanford, Fery would be the first college tennis player in a major Final since University of Illinois’ own Kevin Anderson made the 2018 Wimbledon Final. College tennis! 

Made-up Award: The Andy Murray Award for excellence in British tennis at Wimbledon that comes with the world’s most random home-field advantage

Alright it’s time for the main event, it’s Arthur Fery, our guy, the Brit, the underdog, he has an absolute gauntlet ahead of him, there’s absolutely no chance he wins this thing but, cmon. We’re all rooting for him. 

Fery defeated Flavio Cobolli in straight sets (including a brutal 6-0 third) for his first win over any player of note or renow … wait, this is the second time Fery beat Cobolli in a Grand Slam in straight sets this year?! He did this in the first round of the Australian Open too? Man, Flavio, we need to watch some film on Arthur Fery because he has your number.

Fery did not qualify for the main draw of Wimbledon by regular means. For those unaware, tournament organizers have significant leeway with wildcards which are generally used to get as many home nation players in the draw as possible; if you ever find yourself watching Roland Garros or the US Open and wonder where all these random French and American people came from, that’s why. But it never, like … works. Only four wildcards ever have made a Grand Slam semifinal, including an iconic run for Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open (there’s a documentary). Fery actually getting this done would be unreal — bordering on impossible. But I believe in American college tennis! Believe!Fery did not qualify for the main draw of Wimbledon by regular means. For those unaware, tournament organizers have significant leeway with wildcards which are generally used to get as many home nation players in the draw as possible; if you ever find yourself watching Roland Garros or the US Open and wonder where all these random French and American people came from, that’s why. But it never, like … works. Only four wildcards ever have made a Grand Slam semifinal, including an iconic run for Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open (there’s a documentary). Fery actually getting this done would be unreal — bordering on impossible. But I believe in American college tennis! Believe!