Fils, fun in Jeddah: “Smiling is one of the most important things” | ATP Tour

Next Gen ATP Finals

Fils, fun in Jeddah: “Smiling is one of the most important things”

The Frenchman is No. 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings

December 16, 2024

A year after reaching the final of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF as the top seed, Arthur Fils returns as the leader of the Jeddah draw once again. Still, this year’s event inspires a different feel for Fils, as it will be held three weeks later on the calendar.

“This year it’s late in the season. It’s almost in the new season, actually,” the 20-year-old Frenchman said on Monday. “We’ve already started practicing really hard in the preseason and everything. “I’ve been practicing for three or four weeks.”

Fils hopes to begin its 2025 season in Hong Kong and Australia, but first hopes to take care of some unfinished business in Saudi Arabia. The event schedule is not the only change from last year. Among this week’s innovations and rules, players will warm up for three minutes, a change from last year’s no warm-ups but shorter than the usual five minutes on the ATP Tour. Fils is a fan of this adjustment: “Three minutes is pretty good,” he said, describing it as a happy medium. “Five minutes is sometimes a little long.”

Fils, now a regular on the circuit, fueled his first title in 2023 with a pair of trophies this year. He won a clay title in Hamburg and a hard court title in Tokyo, saving a championship point in the final against Ugo Humbert in the latter event.

“Hamburg was amazing, but Tokyo was crazy,” Fils said. “It was a difficult week. I played against so many great players.”

He earned four wins against Top 20 players on his way to that ATP 500 title, beating Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Holger Rune before edging compatriot Humbert in the final. That result helped him rise to the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings, and Fils finished the year at a career-best No. 20 in the world.

Among all his achievements in 2024, one of the most crucial for Fils has been his ability to continue having fun despite the added pressure of playing at the highest level. He made it a personal goal to smile during every game and was happy to report that he achieved it this season.

“That’s the most important thing. “I think for my game it’s one of the most important things,” he said, “because if I don’t have any pleasure on the court, then I don’t play well. I try to have fun, enjoy the moment. When I’m like this, I know I’m playing well.”

As for 2025, Fils revealed a couple of more concrete goals: win at least one more ATP Tour title and finish the year with a new personal best in the PIF ATP Rankings. In the final act of their 2024 season, Fils will open their campaign in Jeddah on Wednesday against Joao Fonseca.