Match Report
Fils follows in Noah’s footsteps with Indian Wells QF
Frenchman advances to fourth Masters 1000 QF
March 10, 2026
Getty Photographs
Arthur Fils in motion in Indian Wells on Tuesday.
By Sam Jacot
Arthur Fils grew to become simply the third Frenchman to achieve consecutive quarter-finals on the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Tuesday, when he downed ninth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6(9).
In a dramatic second set, Fils squandered a 4-2 lead earlier than he rallied from 0/5 within the tie-break, saving 5 set factors to ultimately triumph in straight units after one hour and 51 minutes. The 21-year-old beat his chest in celebration following his victory after which embraced the roars from the group.
“I used to be at 0/5 within the tie-break and I used to be going to my field and complaining and complaining. Ivan [Cinkus] was attempting to inform me to remain targeted after which Lapo [Becherini] was telling me to cease complaining,” Fils mentioned. “Then a small voice in my head mentioned possibly he’s proper and I ought to focus once more and I attempted to make him serve for it. I attempted to focus as I may. Not an excessive amount of emotion, celebration. Simply tunnel imaginative and prescient and I’m pleased with it.”
Fils reached his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final in California 12 months in the past. Since then, the 21-year-old has struggled with a again harm, lacking final season’s grass swing earlier than he curtailed his yr at first of August following a third-round exit in Toronto.
The three-time tour-level titlist made his return final month in Montpellier and has impressed throughout his comeback to this point. He reached the ultimate on the ATP 500 occasion in Doha and has seemed crimson scorching via his opening matches in Indian Wells.
The No. 32 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings didn’t drop a set towards Marton Fucsovics and Dino Prizmic and mixed high quality with an abundance of grit to battle previous Auger-Aliassime. Fils has now earned eight Prime 10 wins, in response to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, with this his first since he beat Andrey Rublev in Monte-Carlo in 2025.
“[I am most pleased] with the way in which I completed the match,” Fils mentioned. “Everybody is sweet at first of the match, everybody can play nice tennis. However when it issues essentially the most, that’s when you possibly can see you might be both an awesome competitor or again down and as we speak I confirmed I used to be a troublesome competitor.”
By reaching the Indian Wells quarter-finals for the second consecutive yr, Fils grew to become the third Frenchman to realize the feat in match historical past after 1982 champion Yannick Noah (1982-84, 1986-87) and Thierry Tulasne (1986-87). Fils will meet Alexander Zverev or Frances Tiafoe within the final eight.
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