MADRID : Arthur Fils is peaking at the right time as he continues his impressive run at the Madrid Open, signalling strong intent ahead of the French Open on home soil.
The 21-year-old’s surge follows his title triumph in Barcelona Open earlier this month, marking a remarkable comeback after a stress fracture in his lower back—sustained during Roland Garros last year—derailed much of his 2025 season.
After returning to action in February, Fils has shown consistency with deep runs in Qatar Open, Indian Wells and Miami Open before capturing the Barcelona crown, where he defeated Andrey Rublev in the final.
Fils carried that form into Madrid, beating Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals to reach the last four.
Despite rising expectations, the Frenchman insists on staying grounded.
“I don’t even look,” Fils said of outside noise. “If you start to, your head goes everywhere. I just try to stay focused—I still have Madrid, then Rome, more preparation, and then the French Open.”
Fils revealed he has stepped away from social media after dealing with criticism during his injury layoff, a move he says has helped his mindset.
With the clay season in full swing, Fils now turns his attention to a high-profile semi-final clash against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
“I haven’t lost a match on clay. He hasn’t lost for a long time,” Fils said. “It’s going to be pretty good.”
A potential deep run in Paris would carry added significance, as Fils looks to become the first Frenchman since Yannick Noah in 1983 to win the Roland Garros title.
