Indian Wells (United States) (AFP) – Artur Fils’s injury comeback continued to gather pace as the Frenchman upset Felix Auger-Aliassime to book an Indian Wells quarter-final with fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev. Fils beat ninth-ranked Canadian Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) to reach the last eight. Germany’s Zverev downed American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4.
Fils is in the last eight in the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 event for the second straight year, but it’s been a twisting road to arrive there. Back trouble kept him off the courts for eight months, but since returning at Montpellier last month, he has impressed with a run to the final in Doha. The 21-year-old, now ranked 32nd in the world, appeared to be in control with a 4-2 lead in the second set. However, he let that advantage slip away and trailed 0-5 in the tiebreaker before he steadied, saving five set points before wrapping up the straight-sets win.
Related news
“I was at 0-5 in the tie-break and I was going to my box and complaining and complaining,” he said, adding that the advice he got was to stop complaining and focus on the match. “I tried to focus as I could. Not too much emotion, celebration. Just tunnel vision and I am happy with it,” said Fils, who let the emotion emerge again with a mighty chest thump after putting away match point.
Fils said he was most pleased with how he finished the match against Auger-Aliassime, who lifted the trophy in Montpellier last month and reached the final in Rotterdam. “Everyone is good at the start of the match, everyone can play great tennis,” Fils said. “But when it matters the most, that is when you can see you are either a great competitor or back down and today I showed I was a tough competitor.”
World number two Jannik Sinner headlined men’s play on Tuesday, taking on 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca. Italy’s Sinner is looking to make the quarters for the third time at Indian Wells, where he has yet to claim the title. Fonseca is in the fourth round of a Masters 1000 event for the first time.
© 2024 AFP
