Arthur Fils Explained

Arthur Fils
Birth Date:2004 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Courcouronnes, France
Height:NaN1.85
Turnedpro:2021
Plays:Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach:Sébastien Grosjean (2023–)
Careerprizemoney:$2,714,598
Singlestitles:2
Highestsinglesranking:No. 20 (22 July 2024)
Currentsinglesranking:No. 23 (29 July 2024)
Australianopenresult:2R (2024)
Frenchopenresult:1R (2023, 2024)
Wimbledonresult:4R (2024)
Usopenresult:2R (2023)
Othertournaments:yes
Olympicsresult:1R (2024)
Doublestitles:0
Highestdoublesranking:No. 345 (1 July 2024)
Currentdoublesranking:No. 559 (5 August 2024)
Frenchopendoublesresult:1R (2023)
Wimbledondoublesresult:2R (2023)
Usopendoublesresult:1R (2023)
Othertournamentsdoubles:Yes
Olympicsdoublesresult:1R (2024)
Updated:5 August 2024
Frenchopendoublesjuniorresult:W (2021) -->

Arthur Fils (in French pronounced as /aʁtyʁ fis/;[1] born 12 June 2004) is a French professional tennis player. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 20, achieved on 22 July 2024 and a doubles ranking of No. 345, achieved on 1 July 2024. Fils has won two ATP Tour singles titles, his first was in Lyon in 2023. He is currently the No. 2 French player.[2]

Early life

Raised in Bondoufle in the department of Essonne next to the capital Paris in the region Île-de-France, Arthur Fils started playing tennis at the age of 5 with his father Jean-Philippe, originally from the island of Dominica.[3] Licensed at the tennis club of Saint-Michel-sur-Orge, he has been trained at the French National Training Center (indoor) of the French Tennis Federation just next to Stade Roland Garros since 2019. He has been coached by Laurent Raymond since the end of 2022. At the end of the 2023, he was replaced by former No. 4 Sébastien Grosjean and former No. 3 and two-time Roland Garros winner Sergi Bruguera.[4]

Juniors

In the junior category, Arthur Fils won the Orange Bowl in 2020, becoming the tenth French player to win this prestigious tournament, equivalent to a world championship.

As a junior, Fils achieved his best results at the Grand Slam level at the 2021 French Open, where he won the boys' doubles title with Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and placed runner-up in the boys' singles tournament, after which he was ranked as high as world No. 3 in July 2021.

Professional career

2022: ATP & Masters & top 250 debuts

Ranked No. 308 at the 2022 Rolex Paris Masters on his ATP debut, he became the youngest French qualifier to enter the main draw of a Masters 1000 tournament with a win against former top-10 player Fabio Fognini since Gaël Monfils in 2004, the year of his birth.[5] [6] He lost in the first round to Fognini, who entered the draw as lucky loser. As a result he moved 50 positions up in the rankings.

2023: First Major win and ATP title, top 40

He won his maiden Challenger title at the 2023 Oeiras Indoors II and moved close to 60 positions up into the top 200 at No. 195 on 16 January 2023.[7] [8] [9]

Ranked No. 163, he received a wildcard entry into the 2023 Open Sud de France and recorded his first match win on the ATP Tour by defeating former world no. 7 Richard Gasquet in straight sets.[10] Next he defeated fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the quarterfinals becoming the first player born in 2004 or later to reach this ATP level.[11] [12] He defeated another countryman, Quentin Halys, becoming the youngest Frenchman since Gasquet to reach an ATP semifinal in Metz in 2004.[13] [14] As a result he rose nearly 50 positions in the top 150 at world No. 117 on 13 February 2023. In the semifinals, Fils lost to second seed Jannik Sinner.[15]

He reached back to back semifinals at the 2023 Open 13 Provence in Marseille defeating Roman Safiullin,[16] second seed Jannik Sinner after getting a walkover, and Stan Wawrinka in straight sets. As a result he moved another 15 positions up a few spots shy of the top 100 to No. 104 on 27 February 2023.[17] He lost to compatriot Benjamin Bonzi.[18]

He qualified into the main draw for his first Masters 1000 on clay, the Italian Open and defeated fellow qualifier Juan Manuel Cerúndolo.He received a wildcard for the 2023 French Open.[19]

Following reaching his third semifinal of the season in Lyon after a walkover from top seed Félix Auger-Aliassime due to shoulder injury,[20] Fils made his debut in the top 100 of the rankings on 29 May 2023, the youngest active player to reach this milestone.[21] [22] He won his maiden title defeating fourth seed Francisco Cerúndolo becoming the youngest champion in the tournament history.[23] Ranked No. 112, Fils was also the lowest-ranked champion and the third first time winner in the season.[24] [25]

In his French Open debut, his first-ever appearance in a Major tournament, he was defeated in the first round by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. He reached the top 60 on 26 June 2023.

He was awarded a wildcard for his main draw debut at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships losing again in the first round to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. At the same tournament in doubles, Fils recorded his first Grand Slam doubles win, playing along with fellow countryman Luca Van Assche, defeating brothers Stefanos Tsitsipas and Petros Tsitsipas in the first round.[26]

Fils reached his first ATP 500 semifinal at the Hamburg European Open, defeating top seed Casper Ruud in the quarter final, his first win against a Top 5 player, before losing to the eventual winner Alexander Zverev, in the semi-finals.[27] He made his debut into the Top 50 following the tournament.[28]

At the US Open, Fils earned his first Major win, defeating 24th seed Tallon Griekspoor in the first round. He then lost to Matteo Arnaldi in the second round.[29]

Ranked No. 44 at the 2023 Rolex Shanghai Masters, on his debut at this tournament, he defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round.[30] He reached the top 40 on 16 October 2023.He reached his second final at the 2023 European Open with a win over top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets with two tiebreaks, his second top-10 win of the season and his career. He became the youngest finalist in the tournament's history.[31] [32] In November, he qualified for the 2023 Next Generation ATP Finals. [33]

He won the Newcomer of the Year award.[34]

2024: Wimbledon fourth round, first ATP 500 title, top 20

At the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters, he made history by becoming the youngest player since Richard Gasquet in 2005, to win a match when he defeated German Yannick Hanfmann in the first round.[35] At the 2024 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell he reached the quarterfinals defeating another German Daniel Altmaier, and upsetting fourth seed Alex de Minaur in straight sets. As a result, he reached a new career-high in the top 35 in the rankings.[36]

In May, Fils reached the final as the top seed of the Bordeaux Challenger. He won the title, defeating second seed Pedro Martínez in straight sets. As a result he reached the top 30 on 20 May 2024.[37]

In July, at Wimbledon, Fils reached the third round of a grand slam tournament for the first time in his career after defeating seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz in the second round via a retirement (on match point).[38] [39] Fils went on to defeat Roman Safiullin in the third round to reach the fourth round at a Major for the first time in his career.[40]

At the 2024 Hamburg Open, he won his first ATP 500 title defeating top seed Alexander Zverev in the final,[41] having recorded wins over Jaume Munar,[42] Laslo Djere,[43] second seed Holger Rune[44] and third seed Sebastián Báez[45] [46] in earlier rounds. As a result he entered the top 20 in the rankings on 22 July 2024.

Playing style

Arthur Fils is a powerful player and uses his serve and forehand to quickly finish points. Indeed, as he said to Ouest-France in 2023: "In the way I play, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's the one I identify with the most".

Performance Timelines

Singles

Current through the 2024 Cincinnati Open.

Tournament2021202220232024SRW–LWin%
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenAAAstyle=background:#afeeee2R0 / 11–1
French Openstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1R0 / 20–2
WimbledonAAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee4R0 / 23–2
US OpenAAstyle=background:#afeeee2R0 / 11–1
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–01–34–30 / 65–6
National representation
Summer OlympicsANHstyle=background:#afeeee1R0 / 10–1
Davis CupAAstyle=background:#afeeeeRR0 / 10–1
ATP Masters 1000
Indian Wells OpenAAAstyle=background:#afeeee3R0 / 12–1
Miami OpenAAAstyle=background:#afeeee1R0 / 10–1
Monte-Carlo MastersAAAstyle=background:#afeeee2R0 / 11–1
Madrid OpenAAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#afeeee2R0 / 10–1
Italian OpenAAstyle=background:#afeeee2Rstyle=background:#afeeee2R0 / 21–2
Canadian OpenAAAstyle=background:#afeeee1R0 / 10–1
Cincinnati OpenAAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee2R0 / 21–2
Shanghai MastersNHstyle=background:#afeeee3R0 / 12–1
Paris Mastersstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1R0 / 20–2
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–13–44–70 / 127–12
Career statistics
2021202220232024Career
Tournaments01162138
style=text-align:leftTitles 00112
style=text-align:leftFinals00213
style=text-align:leftHard win–loss0–00–115–129–70 / 1724–20
style=text-align:leftClay win–loss0–00–08–410–102 / 1618–14
style=text-align:leftGrass win–loss0–00–00–26–30 / 56–5
style=text-align:leftOverall win–loss0–00–123–1825–202 / 3848–39
style=text-align:leftWin %
Year-end ranking61325136

Junior Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

ResultYearwidth=150TournamentSurfacewidth=150Opponentwidth=120 class="unsortableScore
Loss2021French OpenClay Luca Van Assche4–6, 2–6

Doubles: 1 (1 title)

ATP career finals

Singles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
ATP Finals (0–0)
ATP Masters 1000 (0–0)
ATP 500 (1–0)
ATP 250 (1–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–1)
Clay (2–0)
Grass (0–0)
Finals by setting
Outdoor (2–0)
Indoor (0–1)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0May 2023Lyon Open, FranceATP 250Clay Francisco Cerúndolo6–3, 7–5
Loss1–1Oct 2023European Open, BelgiumATP 250Hard (i) Alexander Bublik4–6, 4–6
Win2–1Jul 2024style=background:#d4f1c5Hamburg Open, Germanystyle=background:#d4f1c5ATP 500Clay Alexander Zverev6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–1)

Team competitions finals: 1 (1 runner-up)

ATP Next Generation finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

ResultDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentclass=unsortableScore
LossDec 2023Next Generation ATP Finals, Saudi ArabiaHard (i) Hamad Medjedovic4–3(8–6), 1–4, 2–4, 4–3(11–9), 1–4

ATP Challenger and ITF World Tennis Tour finals

Singles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

Legend
ATP Challenger Tour (2–1)
ITF WTT (0–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–1)
Clay (1–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentclass=unsortableScore
Win1–0style=background:moccasinOeiras, Portugalstyle=background:moccasinChallengerHard (i) Joris De Loore6–1, 7–6(7–4)
Loss1–1style=background:moccasinQuimper, Francestyle=background:moccasinChallengerHard (i) Grégoire Barrère1–6, 4–6
Win2–1style=background:moccasinBordeaux, Francestyle=background:moccasinChallengerClay Pedro Martínez6–2, 6–3

Wins against top 10 players

PlayerRankEventSurfaceRdclass=unsortableScore
2023
1. Casper Ruudalign=center bgcolor=eee8aa4Hamburg Open, GermanyClayQF6–0, 6–471
2. Stefanos Tsitsipasalign=center bgcolor=eee8aa7European Open, BelgiumHard (i)bgcolor=yellowSF7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–4)38
2024
3. Hubert Hurkaczalign=center bgcolor=eee8aa7Wimbledon, United KingdomGrass2R7–6(7–2), 6–4, 2–6, 6–6(9–8) ret.34
4. Alexander Zverevalign=center bgcolor=eee8aa4Hamburg Open, GermanyClaybgcolor=limeF6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–1)28

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The pronunciation by Arthur Fils himself. ATPWorldTour.com.
  2. Web site: ATP Rankings | Pepperstone ATP Rankings (Singles). ATP Tour .
  3. Web site: PORTRAIT. Arthur Fils, les grandes ambitions d'un enfant de la petite balle . 28 May 2023 .
  4. Web site: Sébastien Grosjean quitte son poste de capitaine de l'Équipe de France de Coupe Davis pour devenir l'entraîneur d'Arthur Fils . 2024-05-15 . L'Équipe . fr.
  5. Web site: Rolex Paris Masters : la très belle perf' du jeune Arthur Fils. October 30, 2022. LEFIGARO.
  6. Web site: Arthur Fils, Corentin Moutet et Quentin Halys sortent des qualifications du Rolex Paris Masters. L'Équipe.
  7. Web site: Inspirado por Gasquet, Fils concluiu "semana fantástica" com recordação para a vida. January 14, 2023.
  8. Web site: Avant l'Open d'Australie, le tennis français ne va (finalement) pas si mal. January 15, 2023. Tennis Majors FR.
  9. Web site: Two Arthurs, Two Titles: French Youngsters Cazaux & Fils Claim Challenger Trophies | ATP Tour | Tennis. ATP Tour. 14 May 2023.
  10. Web site: Arthur Fils Stuns Richard Gasquet In Montpellier ATP Tour Tennis . 2023-02-07 . ATP Tour.
  11. Web site: Arthur Fils Flies Past Roberto Bautista Agut In Montpellier | ATP Tour | Tennis. ATP Tour.
  12. Web site: Stat of the Day: Arthur Fils becomes first man born in 2004 or later to reach an ATP quarterfinal. Tennis.com.
  13. Web site: Five Things to Know About #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  14. Web site: Arthur Fils Continues his Dream Run to Reach Montpellier Semifinals . 10 February 2023 .
  15. Web site: Jannik Sinner Soars into Montpellier Final | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  16. Web site: #NextGenATP Frenchman Fils Books Sinner Rematch in Marseille | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  17. Web site: Arthur Fils Dominates Stan Wawrinka for Marseille SF Berth | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  18. Web site: Hurkacz Holds off Bublik in Mesmerising Marseille SF | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  19. Web site: Fils & Paire Receive Roland Garros Wild Cards | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  20. Web site: Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime withdraws from Lyon Open with shoulder injury .
  21. Web site: Arthur Fils Reaches Lyon Final | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  22. Web site: Arthur Fils Cracks the Top 100, Mover of Week | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  23. News: I will remember this forever. eurosport.com . 17 July 2023.
  24. Web site: Arthur Fils Wins First ATP Tour Title in Lyon | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  25. Web site: First-Time Winner Spotlight: Arthur Fils | ATP Tour | Tennis .
  26. Web site: MSN . .
  27. Web site: Arthur Fils démolit Casper Ruud et se qualifie pour les demi-finales à Hambourg . Le Équipe . 28 July 2023 . fr . 6 August 2023.
  28. News: Après sa demi-finale à Hambourg, Arthur Fils intègre le Top 50 du classement ATP. Le Équipe . fr . 6 August 2023.
  29. Web site: Arthur Fils craque face à Matteo Arnaldi au 2e tour de l'US Open .
  30. Web site: Arthur Fils, Ben Shelton Break New Ground In Shanghai ATP Tour Tennis . 2024-05-15 . ATP Tour . en.
  31. Web site: Tsitsipas-Fils and Bublik-Marterer colour the semi-finals of the European Open – European Open . 2024-05-15 . en-GB.
  32. Web site: Fils Downs Tsitsipas To Reach Antwerp Final ATP Tour Tennis . 2024-05-15 . ATP Tour . en.
  33. Web site: 8 November 2023. Fils, Stricker, Van Assche & Cobolli Qualify For Next Gen ATP Finals. 8 November 2023. Next Generation ATP Finals.
  34. Web site: Here Comes Fils: #NextGenATP Frenchman Wins 2023 Newcomer Of The Year Award .
  35. Web site: Frenchman Fils makes history in Monte-Carlo. 8 April 2024.
  36. Web site: #NextGenATP Fils scores best win of season, downs De Minaur in Barcleona. 19 April 2024.
  37. Web site: Fils finishes 'perfect week' with Bordeaux Challenger title. 19 May 2024.
  38. Web site: Arthur Fils au 3e tour d'un Grand Chelem pour la première fois après l'abandon de Hurkacz à Wimbledon . 2024-07-12 . L'Équipe . fr.
  39. Web site: 2024-07-04 . Wimbledon results 2024: Hubert Hurkacz and Stefanos Tsitsipas lose . 2024-07-12 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  40. Web site: Arthur Fils qualifié pour les huitièmes de finale de Wimbledon après son succès en cinq sets contre Safiullin . 2024-07-12 . L'Équipe . fr.
  41. Web site: Arthur Fils beats Zverev in thriller to clinch Hamburg Open title. Tennis Majors. 21 July 2024.
  42. Web site: Hamburg Open: Fils into second round. Tennis Majors. 20 July 2024.
  43. Web site: Happy in Hamburg! Fils, Rune set quarter-final clash, Zverev stays alive. ATPTour. 20 July 2024.
  44. Web site: Hamburg Open: Fils into semi-finals as Rune retires with knee injury. Tennis Majors. 20 July 2024.
  45. Web site: Hamburg Open: Fils beats Baez to reach first ATP 500 final. Tennis Majors. 20 July 2024.
  46. Web site: NextGenATP Fils flies past Baez to Hamburg championship match. ATPTour. 20 July 2024.