Sons: "I have to take care of my body a lot, but I look much better than when I was ranked 14th in the world"
The French player seems ready to reclaim his best form and aims high at the Masters 1000 in Canada.
Arthur Fils faces the ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 2026 with much more optimism than expected just a few days ago. The Frenchman is still trying to regain his best feelings after the physical problems he has faced, and after falling to Jódar in Washington, he seems to have found a turning point emotionally.
The number one in French tennis appeared at the Media Day in Montreal and, in statements recorded by L'Équipe and in other comments released by TennisTV, he assured that his feelings have improved significantly. After a season marked by physical issues, Fils hopes this tournament will represent the true beginning of his second half of the year and an opportunity to recover lost ground in the race for the ATP Finals.
Fils feels ready to compete at 100%
The images from Washington left very negative impressions. Fils concluded his match against Jódar with evident difficulties moving, raising fears of a new physical relapse just a year after suffering the stress fracture in his back that kept him off the courts for six months.
However, the Frenchman wanted to downplay any alarms. "I felt a slight discomfort in my hip in Washington during the second set against Jódar, and of course, that’s when I started to have some questions. I had been out of competition for two months, was a bit stiff, but I’ve recovered well, I trained yesterday and today, and it seems like everything is in order. I believe I will be at 100%," he explained.
"It’s true that everything changes a lot between training and competing because you get tired faster, but I’m seeing that I can keep up the pace with the best in the world, with whom I’ve been able to practice over the past few weeks. Seeing that I’m not late to the ball and that I’m not making as many mistakes because of that gives me more confidence," he commented.
Wimbledon and Washington were appetizers; Montreal is his comeback
The discomfort in his hip began at the Masters 1000 in Rome, where he had to end his clay season and also withdraw from Roland Garros. Since then, he has only been able to participate in two tournaments, Wimbledon and Washington, accumulating only one victory.
That’s why he believes he still hasn’t had the opportunity to compete in full conditions. "At Wimbledon, I played without preparation, and in Washington, I was still a bit out of rhythm. I consider that here in Montreal is a bit my true return to competition. I know that, due to my history, I have to pay attention to many things about my body, like how many hours I sleep, what I eat, the match load... I have to be aware of various factors to avoid physical problems," he stated.
This reflection is significant. Although he officially returned weeks ago, Fils himself understands that only now can he truly measure his level after having strung together several days of training without physical limitations.
Fils sees himself with the option of having a much better ranking than 14th in the world
The good news for the Frenchman doesn’t end with his recovery. Despite having been out of the courts for almost three months and missing two Grand Slams, he still occupies the tenth position in the ATP Race, just 230 points behind Álex de Miñaur, who currently holds the last qualifying spot for the ATP Finals.
Still, Fils keeps his feet on the ground and is clear about what his priority should be. "Health is still the first priority. But it’s true that I might have the chance to play the ATP Finals if I have a very good second half of the season. I’m going to give it my all and see what happens," he commented.
"I had good results before the injury, and that gives me confidence to know my level is there. Last year I reached 14th in the world, and I feel I can play much better now, so I hope to reach a much higher ranking. I’m not obsessed with playing in Turin; I just want to be healthy and win a lot of matches. If I manage that, Turin will come on its own," he stated.
It will be interesting to see if Fils's body ultimately cooperates and allows him to have the necessary continuity for his tennis to emerge free and unrestrained. This ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 2026 could be a great opportunity to gain the competitive rhythm and confidence needed to return to being among the best in the world and aim for the highest achievements.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fils: "Tengo que cuidar mucho mi cuerpo, pero me veo mucho mejor que cuando fui 14 del mundo"