Arthur Fils is undeniably one of the most talented players the ATP Tour has, but he has sadly been unable to showcase his quality on a regular basis.
This year represents the first where he has remained fit for the bulk of a season, and yet has still been forced to miss some huge events, including his home Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
If he can avoid injury, many back the 22-year-old to be the one to unsettle Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance held over the men’s game at the moment.
Sadly, that is much easier said than done.
Fils was forced to retire from the Basel Open this week, as he approaches a crucial final few weeks of the season.
Is Arthur Fils the next best player after Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
The tour once again returns to the French capital, this time for the Paris Masters, before he is expected to qualify for his first-ever ATP Finals.
And yet, Marion Bartoli fears he may have to pick between these two pivotal events.
Arthur Fils sent warning about his ‘biggest issue’
Chatting with French outlet Les Grandes Gueules du Sport, the former Wimbledon champion admitted she was worried for her compatriot as the season draws to a close.
“Arthur Fils’ biggest issue, and we’re well aware of this, is that he has an extremely fragile body,” she began.
Then, on the Paris Masters, Bartoli admitted: “Naturally, he wants to play in front of his home crowd in France. That goes without saying. But looking at the bigger picture, with a career that, hopefully, still has at least another ten years ahead of it, he has to be a bit careful. Especially with the end-of-year schedule in mind, and the fact that his participation in the ATP Finals is all but guaranteed; a tournament where, I should remind you, Jannik Sinner won’t be competing.
“So, there’s a real opportunity there. He could potentially make it out of the group stage and go even further. He still has plenty to look forward to.”
Arthur Fils’ season has improved significantly, both in terms of consistency and his physical strength.
However, Bartoli insists we should not dismiss his injury history adding: “Regarding these minor warning signs, and keep in mind, this is a player returning from injury; he has played a string of tournaments: Montreal, Cincinnati, the US Open, Tokyo, and Shanghai.
“Don’t forget that he was sidelined for seven months between the end of last year and the beginning of this one. Seven consecutive months off is extremely challenging when it comes to managing joints and the impact of play upon your return to the tour.”
Fils claimed he’s done something rare by qualifying for the ATP Finals, and if he can stay fit, there’s no reason why he can’t feel confident of winning the whole thing.
