Fils focused on Madrid Open breakthrough despite slow startArthur Fils has been in great form during the opening part of the season, highlighted by his title win at the Barcelona Open.
That win helped push him back near the ATP top 20, and there’s growing belief he has the qualities to one day push Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
The Frenchman faces Ignacio Buse in his opening match at the Madrid Open as he goes after his first-ever win at the event.
He hasn’t had much luck in Madrid yet, but Fils believes he can put together a strong run this time around.
Since returning in February, Fils has made it to at least the semi-finals in three different tournaments and he feels confident about doing well again in Madrid.
“I’ve never won a match here, but I think this year I’m going to win a few,” Fils said at the tournament.
“I’m going to do my best to try and go far in the tournament. I play very well on clay. On this fast clay, my serve and forehand should work well.
“It’s a question of training, small adjustments, and mental strength. I’m going to try to step onto the court with the right mindset.”
This year’s draw hasn’t been easy for Fils either, as he has been drawn into the same section as Ben Shelton and Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Lorenzo Musetti is also a possible quarter-final opponent, with Tallon Griekspoor standing between him and that matchup.
Fils has featured in the Madrid Open three times, but he’s still chasing his first main draw win at the Masters event.
He’s exited in the second round twice, both times after receiving a bye into the second round thanks to his seeding.
In 2024, Fils lost in straight sets to Daniel Altmaier after just making it into the tournament as one of the final seeds.
The following year, he suffered a similar fate, falling again in straight sets, this time to Francisco Comesaña.
Back in 2023, Fils attempted to qualify for the event but fell short in the final round against Matteo Arnaldi after getting past Reda Bennani earlier on.
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