Arthur Fils, the promising young French tennis player, faced a challenging 2025 season that was largely overshadowed by a stress fracture in his lower back. This injury forced him to withdraw from the French Open before the third round and limited his participation to just one additional tournament for the remainder of the year.
Fils, who displayed considerable resilience early in the French Open, managed to secure a hard-fought victory over Nicolas Jarry in four sets, followed by an intense five-set match against Jaume Munar. However, fatigue from those encounters took its toll, and he was unable to compete against Andrey Rublev just two days later, which marked the beginning of a difficult period for his career.
The Frenchman made a tentative return to the ATP tour at the Toronto Masters in late July. There, he won a first-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta but succumbed to Jiri Lehecka in the following round. This brief appearance would turn out to be his last match of the year.
Reflecting on these events in a recent interview with French media outlet 20 Minutes, Fils asserted, “Even injured, I managed to defeat Jarry and Munar in tough matches. I demonstrated to myself what I’m capable of. With a bit more experience, I would likely have opted not to participate in that tournament.”
He acknowledged that his return to competition may have come a bit too soon, stating, “After Toronto, we decided it was better to pause for the rest of the season and fully focus on rebuilding my body, especially my back.”
Fils experienced a notable drop in his ATP ranking, starting the French Open at 14th and finishing the year at 40th. With his 2025 season behind him, his sights are set on recovery and future training. “The most crucial aspect now is preparing for the upcoming training period,” he commented. “It’s about committing to hard work and treatment without rushing the process. I don’t have a specific comeback date in mind, and honestly, that’s not my focus right now.”
Regarding his recovery, he offered some optimism, saying, “Honestly, everything is progressing well. Patience is key; the healing process takes time. But I’m feeling good.”
As Fils looks ahead to 2026, he remains focused on his health and preparation, hoping to make a strong comeback on the tennis circuit when the time is right.
