Sons: "The only pressure I had was to be able to return to the level of before"

Pedro de Pablos | 10 Mar 2026 | 23.18

Son: "The only pressure I had was to be able to return to the level from before"

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Arthur Fils has returned from his back injury to an astronomical level, as seen in the round of 16 of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 against Felix Auger-Aliassime. The French tennis player endured a nightmare for six months without being able to compete and has confessed what he feared the most upon returning from this break due to his physical issues.

Prior to this setback, Fils was knocking on the door of the ATP top 10 ranking, and his biggest concern was returning in a completely different dynamic than he left in mid-2025. However, the French player has come back with his magic intact, and now he will face Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals to once again approach another final, following the one he reached at the ATP 500 in Doha a few weeks ago, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz after a great tournament.

Victory over Auger-Aliassime

"I think I have improved a bit in every aspect; I am very happy to reach the quarterfinals again in a tournament that I really like. I enjoy playing here. It's nice to be in the desert, there's a pleasant atmosphere, so I am very happy to be back in the quarterfinals."

Comeback in the second set tiebreak

"Being 5-0 down, I had a little chat with Lapo, my physical trainer, and he told me to stop complaining and just play tennis and focus. From that moment on, you know, I started to block out everything around me and have tunnel vision. I just saw myself winning point after point after point. When you're 5-0 down in a tiebreak, you're supposed to lose, but today I managed to win, and I am very happy."

Improvement in his forehand

"We changed it a bit. We tried to shorten the preparation a bit. I don't know if you understand, but before I had a very long wind-up, and now a shorter swing. I had eight months, so we had time to change it (smiles). Yes, we changed that, but then my forehand is still my forehand. When I feel it well, I feel very good on the court.

When the ball is in motion, when you have a big swing, you can generate a lot of power. A lot of spin in my case because I have a very close grip. But it's also not easy when guys play fast with the forehand. When you have a big swing, you can put the ball a bit further back. Now, with the shorter swing, I play the ball much more in front of me; it's just sometimes you feel like you lack power. But in my case, it's fine. I can still hit the ball quite hard. So, yes, it's a bit better for me."

Tunnel vision in crucial moments

"Well, if I could have just one very relaxed, calm, and focused version, I would sign up for that. But, you know, with my personality, I really like to embrace the emotion. Sometimes I like to celebrate, sometimes get a bit mad. The goal is to never get angry, but I like to embrace the emotion. But when it comes to crucial moments, I think it's better to be very focused and not really show your emotions. Even if they are positive emotions, try to be very concentrated. Especially to avoid any negative emotion.

That's what I try to do, especially in crucial moments, like a break or a breakpoint or whatever. Then, when you win those important points, you can celebrate. But if you start celebrating every point you win and complaining about every point you lose, then you are not helping yourself."

Patience during his recovery and regaining lost ranking points

"Well, the points don't matter. Points come and go, it's no big deal. Sometimes you win some matches, other times you lose some. Points are not a big pressure for me. The only pressure I had was whether I would be able to return to the level from before. That was the only question. I talked a lot with my team, with my friends about it. I said, 'Well, I know I will return, but
at what level?' I just had to keep working, be very patient because it's a long process. Eight months.

You just have to stay very focused on the work, try not to watch the other players... It's okay to see them in a tournament or in a second tournament, but then you start to feel that the guys are improving a lot. I haven't touched a racket for six months; I don't know how I'll be after. I just try to focus on myself, on my path to return. And, yes, I think we have done a great job."

Controversy over time violations

"I think the referee... well, there is a rule, so you have to play by the rule. But sometimes the referee should understand the moment of the match, and especially at that moment with Félix, he called a time violation without reason. I think the electronic line wasn't working, and I made a return that might have been out, or might have been in, but it was very close. He started asking the referee, 'Well, are you sure it was in, or whatever?' So the referee, in the worst way, gave him a time violation.

It's a bit strange. There is a rule, but the referee also has to understand the moment. At that moment, you shouldn't give a time violation. If the player always takes 26, 27, 28 seconds, then you penalize the time violation, but Félix is always punctual, like every time we play. Okay, sometimes he may take a little longer, but he is always punctual. Giving a warning for that is not right."

Playing against Zverev in the quarterfinals

"With Sascha, we know each other very well. We have played, I don't even know how many times, but we have played a lot. Sometimes it goes well for him, sometimes for me. It's going to be a nice match because he is a champion. Zverev has been in the top five for
I don't know how many years. It's going to be a nice match to play."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fils: "La única presión que tenía era por ser capaz de volver al nivel de antes"

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