Jannik Sinner Lavishly Praises the In-Form Arthur Fils Ahead of Madrid Open: “We Have to Keep an Eye on Him”

Arthur Fils claimed his first title in over a year at the Barcelona Open last week.

Jannik Sinner Lavishly Praises the In-Form Arthur Fils Ahead of Madrid Open: “We Have to Keep an Eye on Him”

Jannik Sinner and Arthur Fils (via X/The Tennis Letter)

In Short
  • Arthur Fils has gained attention for his impressive performances and potential in French tennis.
  • Jannik Sinner praised Fils for his focus, consistency, and recent success, particularly his title in Barcelona.
  • Fils aims to maintain his form at the Madrid Open, with a potential semi-final matchup against Sinner.

Arthur Fils has caught the eye of many tennis players, including Jannik Sinner, in recent weeks. The Frenchman’s rise over the past couple of years has excited people about the future of French tennis. Sinner has now showered him with praise for his recent impressive performances on tour.

This time last year, Fils was on a similar trajectory to stardom. He had reached the quarter-finals of three consecutive ATP Masters 1000 and progressed to the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open before sustaining a back injury. The back problem led him to miss almost the entire second half of the 2025 season.

Out of the top 30, he kicked off his 2026 campaign at the Montpellier Open in his home country. He continued with his impressive form at the Qatar Open, reaching the final but losing the title to Carlos Alcaraz. He backed the performance with a quarter-finals run at the Indian Wells before falling to Alexander Zverev.

In Miami, the 21-year-old was almost in tears after beating Tommy Paul to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open, and for the first time in his career, secured a place in the last four of an ATP 1000 Masters tournament. Although he lost the tie, he bounced back in the Barcelona Open, beating Andrey Rublev to win the title.

Following his success in Barcelona, Fils has very few points to defend from now until the end of the season. There are reports that if he continues to reach the quarter-finals of every tournament he plays until the end of the year, he might break into the top 10. During Sinner’s press conference, he admitted that Fils is a player to watch for the future:

He’s playing incredible tennis right now. He’s very focused on what he needs to do, and is in great physical shape. He’s been very consistent on all surfaces. Winning in Barcelona will give him a lot of confidence to play well here, in Rome, and especially in Paris in front of the French crowd. I’m happy for France. France needs players like Arthur. Let’s see what the future holds for him, but one thing is certain: we’ll have to keep an eye on him.

Fils, who is known for his aggressive style of play, doesn’t lack confidence on the court. Fils has faced Sinner just once on tour, and that was at the 2023 Montpellier Open in France. Sinner won the match 7-5, 6-2. Both players have refined their styles and become better on the court since then.

Former World No.2 says Arthur Fils plays above his age on the court

Arthur Fils has been dubbed the leading star of French tennis. Before Richard Gasquet retired, he bemoaned the lack of teenage French stars on tour and called on the tennis federation to make changes. Since then, Fils and Arthur Rinderknech have climbed into the top 20 and are playing great tennis.

Arthur Fils
Arthur Fils (Image via X/Tiempo De Tenis)

However, all eyes are focused on Fils rather than Rinderknech, who burst into the scene at the Rolex Shanghai Masters last October. Former Spanish player Alex Corretja has joined the bandwagon of those praising Fils on tour. During his interview with TNT Sports, the former World No.2 revealed that Fils is clearly ahead of his age:

He’s clearly taken a step forward; I find him very mature. He’s always been an explosive player, but now he’s managed to bring a touch of stability to his mind, and that makes all the difference. I saw him all week, always very serious, very focused. When you add that to all the improvements he’s made to his game, it can only work.

Fils will aim to continue with his excellent form at the Madrid Open. He will open his campaign against Peruvian player Ignacio Buse in the second round. Should he reach the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, he will face Jannik Sinner for the first time in over three years.

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