Arthur Fils has been in superb form during the first third of the season, which peaked with his title victory at the Barcelona Open.
Fils’ victory at the Barcelona Open has put the Frenchman back on the cusp of the ATP Tour top 20 and many believe he has the attributes to challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
The Frenchman plays Ignacio Buse in the first round of the Madrid Open as he surprisingly looks to pick up his first ever victory at the Spanish tournament.
Despite his poor record at the tournament, Fils is confident he can have a deep run at the clay court event.
Arthur Fils is confident ahead of the Madrid Open
Fils has reached the semi-finals or further in three tournaments since his comeback in February and he believes he can do the same in Madrid.
Speaking at the Madrid Open, the Frenchman said: “I’ve never won a match here, but I think this year I’m going to win a few.
Is Arthur Fils the next best player after Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
“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.”
Fils has been drawn in the same section of the draw as Ben Shelton and Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Madrid Open.
The Frenchman’s most likely quarter-final opponent is Lorenzo Musetti, who plays Tallon Griekspoor in the third round.
Arthur Fils’ strange Madrid Open record
Fils has played the Madrid Open on three occasions, but he is yet to taste success in the main draw of the Masters event.
The star has been knocked out of the second round in the last two years, after receiving a first round bye due to his seeding.
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2024 saw Fils lose to Daniel Altmaier in straight sets after he snuck in as one of the final seeds in the competition.
A year later, and Fils suffered the same result at the same stage by losing to Francisco Comesaña in straight sets.
In 2023, Fils tried to enter the event via qualifying but he was beaten at the final stage by Matteo Arnaldi after defeating Reda Bennani.
