Arthur Fils, the 20-year-old rising star of French tennis, insists he feels no pressure to match the achievements of his peer Carlos Alcaraz. Speaking ahead of the Hong Kong Open, where he is the fourth seed, Fils expressed admiration for Alcaraz, who has already won four Grand Slam titles by age 21, but emphasized his trust in his own process.
“There is no pressure [to emulate Alcaraz],” Fils said. “He is an immense champion, and what he’s doing is amazing. If I win a slam in two years or 10, it would still be unbelievable.”
Fils, who climbed to world No. 20 after a breakthrough 2024 season with two ATP 500 titles, acknowledged the significance of pressure, quoting Billie Jean King: “If there is no pressure, it means you can’t do anything.”
Reflecting on his growth, Fils cited his Wimbledon fourth-round appearance and victories in Hamburg and Tokyo as key confidence boosters. Despite concerns about the late scheduling of the Next Gen ATP Finals, he remains optimistic about building on his recent success.
Returning to Hong Kong, where he reached the quarterfinals last year, Fils hopes to progress further and continue his steady climb up the rankings.
Arthur Fils in 2024
Ranked no.20 (career-high), Arthur played his last match on the 20th of December when he surrendered to world no.122 Learner Tien 4-2 4-2 3-4(4) 4-3(5) in the round robin in the Next Gen ATP Finals (draw).
Presently, during this year the French player achieved an overall 42-28 record. Arthur has won 3 titles in 2024 in the Bordeaux Challenger, Hamburg and Tokyo.
Arthur has won 3 titles in 2024 in the Bordeaux Challenger, Hamburg and Tokyo.
Arthur Fils |
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