Fils and the importance of being able to win the title in Cincinnati: "I would arrive at the US Open with a lot of confidence"
The Frenchman will fight for his first Masters 1000 title after defeating Cobolli in the semifinals: “I am very happy with my performance.”
Arthur Fils seeks to be crowned for the first time as champion of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati. The Frenchman is being one of the most complete and consistent tennis players in this North American hard court tour. This was evident in his victory against Flavio Cobolli, where the wind was the protagonist of the first set, but he managed to tame it to take the match with a score of 6-3, 6-4, while he awaits in the final the winner of the duel between Brandon Nakashima and Frances Tiafoe.
Fils has become the tenth French tennis player to reach the final of a Masters 1000 since its introduction in 1990, the youngest since Richard Gasquet in 2006 and the first to do so in Cincinnati since 1991. But what matters most is still missing, lifting the title. Something that would make him a serious contender for the US Open, while he is already the sixth player in the ATP Race, despite having missed the Australian Open and Roland Garros. But in the Frenchman's mind, there is only one goal: the Cincinnati title.
Arthur Fils is already thinking about the US Open before his final in Cincinnati
"I still need to focus on the tournament. Of course, being sixth in the race is good. I have a final to play tomorrow. I am going to try to bring the title home to arrive in New York with a lot of confidence. And that’s it. But I still have to stay focused on tomorrow's final."
Arthur Fils' reaction to reaching his first Masters final.
He becomes the first French player to reach the Cincinnati final since 1991.
He's also just the 10th Frenchman to reach a Masters final, the youngest since Richard Gasquet in 2006.
Massive. 🇫🇷🥹 pic.twitter.com/3So5v8C0ki— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 22, 2026
Arthur Fils explained how he overcame a very difficult match due to the wind
"I started off quite slow, I was a bit tense. But I think from 4-3 in the first set, when I won those long and complicated rallies, the momentum shifted in my favor and I felt much better, especially with my serve. Because in the first games I didn’t serve well at all. After that, everything was much better. So I’m very happy with my performance."
"It wasn't easy. I went out on the court and, of course, it was a semifinal, so you are a bit more nervous. But then the rain came, you have to wait and then go back out. Also, the ball and conditions were completely different. All together made it a bit difficult to manage. But I'm quite happy with the way I handled it," concluded a Arthur Fils ready to first fight in the final of Cincinnati and then make a splash at the US Open 2026.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fils y la importancia de poder ganar el título en Cincinnati: "Llegaría al US Open con mucha confianza"