dailyloe.com – World No. 1 Jannik Sinner defeated Arthur Fils on Friday at the Mutua Madrid Open, ending Fils’ nine-match winning streak. This victory places Sinner just one win away from capturing five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles, a historic achievement.
After the match, Fils acknowledged Sinner’s prowess, stating, “He’s a great champion. He hasn’t lost one match since Indian Wells. He’s playing great, a lot of confidence.” Fils found it challenging to adapt to Sinner’s ball speed and aggressive play during their 87-minute match.
Fils noted, “The first set was very good for him and a bit tough for me. I had to get used to his ball speed.” He struggled with his first serves, making only 49 percent, and was broken three times during the match. Fils emphasized the pressure Sinner’s aggressive return position put on him.
“It puts more pressure on when the guy steps in,” Fils explained. He mentioned that while he managed his second serve well, the first serve was more problematic. Fils admitted, “I was trying to go for too much because I wanted to have easy points.”
After reaching the semi-finals in Madrid, Fils moved up eight spots to No. 17 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He previously held the No. 14 position but faced an eight-month absence due to a back injury.
Since returning, Fils has had a successful run, winning the tournament in Barcelona, reaching the final in Doha, and making it to the semi-finals in Miami and quarter-finals in Indian Wells. He praised his coaches, Ivan Cinkus and Goran Ivanisevic, for their support.
Fils stated, “We are doing a great job. I think with Goran, he’s helping me a lot with his experience.” He acknowledged the teamwork and friendship between his coaches, making their collaboration effective.
