Arthur Fils bursts onto the scene in Barcelona and claims the ATP 500 title after a two-year drought! The young French prodigy has lifted a trophy once again, in an electrifying final against Andrey Rublev that will be remembered by tennis fans. This victory not only marks his return to the big stage after an eight-month absence, but also serves as a clear demonstration that he is back to compete at the highest level.
In exclusive statements, Arthur Fils did not hide his emotion: “It’s a fantastic feeling, really. I hadn’t lifted a trophy in a long time and I was also away from the circuit for eight months. Coming back to this level means a lot to me and it’s a huge feeling.” The final against Rublev was intense and dramatic, especially at the decisive moment of the second set. “When I was 5-3 down in the second set, I didn’t even have time to think, everything happened so fast that I barely noticed. My coach, Goran, said that was possibly the worst game he has ever seen at the ATP level and he might be right. If we had gone to the third set, I wouldn’t have been worried. I know I can improve, I played very well, but I made some mistakes and my serve wasn’t at the level I wanted. Still, it was probably my best match of the week and I will discuss everything with the team to evolve.”
Despite the victory in Barcelona being one of the most positive weeks of his career, Fils emphasizes that he still has room to grow: “I don’t think this is the best week of my life. For me, it was the week in Tokyo, where I played at a very high level and faced very tough opponents. But this week in Barcelona was one where I was most focused, and probably that’s why I was able to win.”
The Frenchman also showed his ambition and humility when talking about the distance that separates him from giants Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner: “I don’t know. The last time I played against Carlos, he completely dominated me. I have to be humble, follow my path, and focus on improving my ranking. They are great champions and at the moment I can’t compare myself to them. Maybe one day, but not now.”
After his victory in Barcelona, Fils is preparing for his next challenge in Madrid, a tournament where he has not yet found much success, but where he promises to give it his all: “Now I’m heading to Madrid, a tournament where I haven’t had much success, but I will try to do my best. After that come tournaments that I love, like Rome, Hamburg, and Roland Garros. I really enjoy playing in these conditions.”
With this victory, Arthur Fils etches his name alongside the great champions who have passed through Barcelona, signaling a triumphant return and the promise that his name will be increasingly heard on the ATP circuit. The young Frenchman is back and promises to be one of the figures to watch closely this tennis season.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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