Patrick Mouratoglou Backs Arthur Fils to Become Third Guy and Challenge Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner Duopoly

Carlos Alcaraz, after injuring his wrist during the Barcelona Open, withdrew from the Madrid Open.

Patrick Mouratoglou Backs Arthur Fils to Become Third Guy and Challenge Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner Duopoly

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner (background), Arthur Fils (lcircle, left), Patrick Mouratoglou (circle, right) (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, 4K JANNIK SINNER, Univers Tenis, SK)

In Short
  • Arthur Fils has shown impressive performances since returning from injury, including winning the Barcelona Open.
  • Patrick Mouratoglou believes Fils can challenge the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
  • Carlos Alcaraz is currently dealing with a wrist injury but remains optimistic about his future participation in tournaments.

Arthur Fils, since the Qatar Open, has only produced impressive performances. A back stress fracture during the 2025 French Open ruined his 2025 season, and the only tournament that he played since his third-round withdrawal from Roland Garros was the Canadian Open.

Fils returned to action in this year’s Open Occitanie, and he also featured at the Rotterdam Open after skipping the Australian Open. Then at the Qatar Open, Fils reached his first singles final since the 2024 Japan Open but lost the title to Carlos Alcaraz.

An injury then forced him to skip the Dubai Tennis Championships. Fils then reached the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Masters and the semifinals of the Miami Open before he ended his title drought by defeating Andrey Rublev in the Barcelona Open final, winning his career’s fourth singles title. At the press conference after his win, Fils shared whether he thinks he can break the dominance of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

I don’t know [if I can consistently beat them]. The last time I played Carlos, he dominated me. I have to stay humble, follow my path, and focus on improving my ranking. They are great champions and, right now, I can’t compare myself to them. Maybe one day – but not yet.

Arthur Fils said at the press conference

The seven-time Grand Slam champion holds a perfect 3-0 lead in the head-to-head matchups against Fils. He trails 0-1 against Sinner. Reacting to Fils’ quick comeback from injuries, Patrick Mouratoglou, via his Instagram account, has backed his compatriot to become the third guy and challenge the Sincaraz dominance.

If you’re looking for a third guy between Alcaraz and Sinner, I think what Arthur Fils has shown these last weeks puts him 100% into the conversation. Arthur is super, super charismatic. It’s very difficult to come back from a long injury. And after he got injured, he lost six kilos. And he’s flying on the court. He’s different because he’s lighter. Most of the players, when they are injured, it’s the worst period of their life.

Fils will next be playing against Ignacio Buse or Adrian Mannarino in his campaign opener at the Madrid Open. He has never progressed past the second round in the Spanish capital.

Boris Becker is not concerned about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury

Carlos Alcaraz injured his wrist during the Barcelona Open and ended up withdrawing from his second-round match against Tomas Machac. He next pulled out of the Madrid Open, and during the Laureus Awards, Alcaraz, who won the Sportsman of the Year award, expressed his uncertainty about his participation at the French Open. Boris Becker, however, is not concerned about his injury.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/CARLOS ALCARAZ NEWS)

It’s a shame for the tournament (Madrid), but it reminds me of last year, when Alcaraz also couldn’t play here in Madrid and then won Rome and Paris. So I wouldn’t give the injury too much importance. I think I’m still positive [about Alcaraz]. He would have wanted to finish in Barcelona.

Boris Becker told Eurosport Spain

Last year at the Italian Open and the French Open, Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in the finals and now has 3,000 combined points to defend in the two tournaments. In Paris, Alcaraz will be bidding to complete his three-peat, while Sinner will be bidding to complete the Career Grand Slam.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion is the winner of 26 titles, 11 of which he lifted on clay. This year, he played three finals, winning the Australian Open and the Qatar Open by beating Novak Djokovic and Jiri Lehecka, respectively. Then, in the Monte-Carlo Masters, he failed to defend his title as Sinner beat him in straight sets.

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