Melbourne, Australia – Arthur Fils, the No. 20 seed, secured a hard-fought victory over Finland’s Otto Virtanen in the first round of the 2025 Australian Open. However, the Frenchman’s post-match comments revealed a less-than-satisfied player.
After rallying from a set down to win in four sets (3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4), Fils was candid about his performance. “I was playing like shit, sorry!” he confessed during his on-court interview. Despite the win, Fils admitted that his game was far from perfect.
“I was just trying to put the ball inside the court—you know, inside the blue,” Fils added, referring to his strategy of keeping the ball in play. He also mentioned that he had to rely heavily on his running game to compensate for his lackluster form.
Fils’ honesty resonated with the crowd at Margaret Court Arena, who appreciated his candidness. The 20-year-old, who made his Top 20 debut last year and won a pair of ATP 500 titles, is still searching for a signature run at a Grand Slam tournament. His best performance so far was reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.
Looking ahead, Fils is optimistic about his chances in the tournament. “I’m going to try my best. I think I’ll play again on Wednesday, so I have some days to recover and to practice. I think I need some practice!” he joked.
With a potential matchup against either countryman Quentin Halys or Aussie Adam Walton in the second round, Fils will need to improve his game to advance further. Sharing a section with world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, Fils could face fellow French star and No. 14 seed Ugo Humbert in the third round.
Despite his self-criticism, Fils’ determination and work ethic are clear indicators that he is not one to rest on his laurels. As he continues his journey in the Australian Open, fans will be watching closely to see if he can turn his honest self-assessment into a deep run in the tournament.
Arthur Fils in 2025
Currently ranked no.20 (career-high), Arthur played his last match on the 12th of January when he defeated world no.92 Otto Virtanen 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4 6-4 in the 1st round of the Australian Open (draw).
This season Arthur has managed to achieve a compiled 2-1 win-loss record.