Arthur Fils headlined what many hoped would be a hugely competitive Madrid Open semi-final yesterday, as he faced Jannik Sinner for a spot in the final.
However, despite his incredible form and proficiency on clay, he still remained no match for the world number one, who swiftly dispatched him in straight sets.
Many are tipping the Frenchman as the most likely to soon bridge the gap between the world’s top two players and the rest of the field, but recent matches against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have proven that there is still some way to go.
Speaking at his press conference afterwards, Arthur Fils explained exactly what makes it so difficult to live with a player of the Italian’s calibre.
Arthur Fils reacts after losing to Jannik Sinner in the Madrid Open
Asked what the biggest challenge was facing Sinner, the 21-year-old gave a characteristically upbeat reply, laughing as he claimed: “My serve.”
Fils managed to get just 49% of his first serves in, and won a disappointing 45% of points behind his second serve. “The numbers were pretty bad,” he conceded, before taking a more serious outlook.
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He continued: “He’s a great champion. He didn’t lose one match since Indian Wells, maybe. He’s playing great, a lot of confidence. He hit the ball pretty clean from both sides, and he was serving very good as well.
“I mean, it was, of course, the first set was very good for him, a bit tough for me. I had to get used to his ball speed; it’s different when you play for a full match. I mean, I played some great, great opponents, but it’s still different, you know. When I’m stepping on the court against him, I feel like I play a great tennis, but it’s not enough.
“Then the second set was way better from my side. I would say I got maybe some more chances, but didn’t take it. But, yeah, a lot of things to talk about.”
It was what Fils said later that really emphasised Sinner’s frightening superiority, admitting: “I’ve played against great rivals, but Sinner is different. When I play against him, I feel like it’s not enough.
“He hits very cleanly on both sides and on top of that serves very well. He plays at a pace I haven’t played at on this clay tour.
| Year | Event | Round reached | Defeated by |
| 2026 | Madrid Open | Final* | N/A |
| 2026 | Monte Carlo | Winner | N/A |
| 2026 | Miami Open | Winner | N/A |
| 2026 | Indian Wells | Winner | N/A |
| 2026 | Paris Masters | Winner | N/A |
| 2025 | Shanghai Masters | Round of 32 | Tallon Griekspoor |
“Against the best, there are no free points. I was expecting some today, like in previous rounds, but that didn’t happen today.”
Marion Bartoli claimed Fils made a mistake against Sinner, but in all honesty, it felt like he was outclassed from the first ball.
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Having beaten Fils comfortably earlier in the day, Sinner was free to relax and find time to watch the other Madrid Open semi-final between Alexander Zverev and youngster Alexander Blockx.
It should come as no surprise that the former emerged victorious, with the German winning in straight sets to set up a fifth consecutive meeting with Sinner at Masters 1000 tournaments.
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Frustratingly for Zverev, he has lost all of these clashes, and has actually not beaten the 24-year-old since 2023, eight matches ago.
This represents a great opportunity for the three-time major finalist, who is a former two-time champion here in Madrid.
However, it really feels like nobody can stop Sinner when he is in this kind of form. Zverev will need something truly special to stand a chance this Sunday.
