Fils celebrates his biggest title in Hamburg | ATP Tour

Hamburg

Fils celebrates his biggest title in Hamburg

The Frenchman beat the 2023 champion in the final

July 21, 2024

Arthur Fils experienced one of the most special days of his ATP Tour career on Sunday. With just one result, a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1) in his favor, the Frenchman secured his biggest title yet and biggest ranking victory by beating No. 4 Alexander Zverev at the Hamburg Open.

This result, if that were not enough, guarantees his first break into the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings, when at this point in 2023 he had not yet debuted in the Top 60. This week he debuted in the ranking by appearing since Monday at No. 28, but his great week in Hamburg will make him No. 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings from next Monday.

His path to the elite has been incredibly fast for the 20-year-old right-hander. In 2023 he claimed his first victory in an ATP Tour main draw (d. Gasquet in Montpellier), and months later he won his first title (d. Cerúndolo in the final in Lyon). This Sunday he played his first final in a tournament other than an ATP 250, and he exceeded expectations.

Against the defending champion and with the crowd against him, Fils played like a seasoned veteran. Despite being the sixth finalist of the tournament this century aged 20 or younger (also Roger Federer, Richard Gasquet, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti), the Frenchman showed his character, especially in the third set.

He saved all five break points he faced, each of them spread across five service games in the third set. He played with the pressure against him from start to finish, even going 30/40 at 5-5, but once again he ended up making his serve count, and drowning the home team’s hopes.

His mettle was also on display in the tie-break. The #NextGenATP star made no unforced errors and hit three winners to tip the balance in his favour. After three hours and 33 minutes, he claimed his second ATP Tour title and avoided No. 23 Zverev, against whom he now has a 1-2 record.

“I knew from the beginning that it wasn’t going to be easy,” Fils said before the trophy ceremony. “In the first set I controlled everything, I think I was a bit lucky, but I played very well. In the second set he managed to play better than me and raised his level.”

“Then we closed the roof [antes del inicio del tercer set] And when we did it I knew it was going to be a fight, like a dogfight. You just have to fight until the last point, until the last ball. I think I’ve been training for this kind of moment for a long time, so I’m very happy to have won it.”

Under the cover of the Rothenbaum Tennis Center, Fils seems to be sending a clear message with this result: his soon-to-be rise to greater heights seems inevitable.