How to go from the status of head cutter to that of a leader on the circuit? This is the question that Arthur Fils must now answer, who has proven over the last two seasons in sequence that he is capable of realizing his formidable potential in results. At only 20 years old, here he is at the gates of the Top 20 – he was even 20th for a week at the end of July – and he already has three titles including two ATP 500. But in Tokyo, he may have reached another milestone by becoming the first Frenchman since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ten years ago in Toronto to win a title by beating four Top 20s.
And in achieving this, he demonstrated a resilience that we had not known in him until now. The young Frenchman has a strong character and believes in himself, this is nothing new. His 5 victories in 11 confrontations against members of the Top 10 attest to this. But he had never shown such an ability to remain focused on his objective, despite the ups and downs and twists and turns that punctuated his journey. Hence the idea that there will perhaps be a before and an after Tokyo 2024.
“Arthur Fils’ strength is that he is so emotionally involved when he plays. He is so consistent in managing his emotions, a bit like Sinner and Alcarazbelieves Mats Wilander, consultant for Eurosport. He may not have the same power as them, nor serve as well consistently. He has a big first ball when it passes. The only thing I don’t like about his game is his throwing the ball way too high on his first. Sinner and Alcaraz have made changes to their service. Son is going to have to do it too at some point, because he’s not good enough. But his fighting spirit and his forehand are incredible. He moves better than before, and he is getting stronger and stronger physically.”
He still has a lot of ups and downs
By thus listing the qualities, the progress and the margin which is still that of Son, the ex-Swedish champion shows that he has observed him closely and is not insensitive to his charisma. How can I blame him? Fils undeniably has this enthusiasm, this power of attraction, this ability to take an audience with him, to communicate emotions which make him one of the young people with the most assertive personality on the circuit. There is no reason why he should not continue his rise. Yes but to what extent?
“I really think he’s a Top 5 potential. It’s not necessarily going to come in two, three, or four years because he needs to develop his game a little more.considers Wilander. It must have a slightly more assertive gaming identity. He still has a lot of ups and downs, not just in matches like the final in Tokyo, but especially from one week to the next. He hasn’t yet figured out how to perform well in the tournament following the one he won. Maybe we’ll see it in Shanghai.”
This will indeed be one of the challenges of the Chinese Masters 1000 that Fils will start in the 2nd round against Roberto Carballes Baena, 54th in the world. He will obviously be the favorite, but will he have sufficiently recovered physically and emotionally from his series of marathons? Given his draw, his objective must be to potentially challenge Jannik Sinner in the round of 16. This would then be an opportunity to position yourself against the best in the world, but also to get your bearings for possible future quarters, semis or even finals of Grand Slams. You have to rub shoulders with the big names as much as possible to become one.
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Eventually compete with Sinner and Alcaraz like Murray with the Big 3
“I’m going to start dreaming: we already had Alcaraz and Sinner, and now we have Arthur Fils! And because he comes from France, that makes him much more important for our sport, of course because of Roland-Garros. We need a Frenchman who can hope to win at Roland Garros again. Arthur Fils can fill the void that has been at Roland Garros since Yannick Noah won it in 1983. By 2028 or 2029, Arthur Fils will be in the Top 5 and a contender for the Grand Slam title“, Wilander does not hesitate to affirm.
So far, Son has not done better than a round of 16 in the Grand Slam during the last edition of Wimbledon, when Alcaraz and Sinner already have 4 and 2 Majors respectively on their record. But the Spaniard and the Italian are one and three years older than the Frenchman and the experience on the circuit that goes with it. This does not mean that Wilander sees Son as a player on the same level as Alcaraz and Sinner. But as you progress, opportunities will inevitably present themselves.
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“He will become a bit like Andy Murray compared to the Big 3he still prophesies. If the three monsters weren’t playing at their best, he was there to collect the crumbs, like when he beat Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final once (in 2013, Editor’s note). Or when he beat him in the Masters final to become world number 1 (in 2016). Son will never have Alcaraz’s forehand. He won’t have the aggression and power of Sinner on both ends. I see him as a less explosive player, but I see someone who could potentially be more consistent than Sinner and Alcaraz week in and week out..”
With his puncher’s tennis and above-average athleticism, Son is building himself to compete in the future. Especially since Sinner and Alcaraz, who shared the Grand Slams this season, have nevertheless shown some flaws on a physical level. But he is not yet invited to their table, far from it. Until then, he must continue to develop methodically and gain consistency. It starts in Shanghai then indoors at Bercy where it will inevitably be eagerly awaited.
