One of the most promising young players in men’s tennis will be part of the ASB Classic next year.
Frenchman Arthur Fils is the highest-ranked teenager on the ATP tour, having risen to No 38 in the world.
He’s a hot prospect.
The 19-year-old has jumped more than 600 spotsin the rankings over the last two years and was listed at 252 at the start of 2023. In May, he became the youngest Frenchman to win an ATP title since Gael Monfils, after prevailing in Lyon. His scalps that week included fellow ASB Classic recruit Felix Auger-Aliassime (world No 10), while he has also toppled Stefanos Tsitipas and Jannik Sinner this year.
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He broke into the top 50 in August, after a quarter-final win over Casper Ruud in Hamburg, and celebrated his first call-up to the French Davis Cup team in September.
Fils is now 19-15 for the season including wins over two top-10 players. Apart from his success in Lyon, he made the Antwerp final, along with semifinals in Hamburg, Marseille and Montpellier.
Fils was earmarked as one to watch as a junior, when he reached the Roland Garros boys singles’ final in 2021 and took out the boys’ doubles final.
The French sensation has been lured to New Zealand after speaking to 2023 ASB Classic champion and compatriot, Richard Gasquet.
“He said it was a great tournament, a great crowd and so I am looking forward to these moments and [to] feel at home there will mean so much,” said Fils. “I have heard it is an impressive tournament. It will be my first time in New Zealand and Australia. I will see with the good weather, the good crowd - it will be a nice moment and I will try my best.”
The French teen, who also has career wins over Stan Wawrinka and Roberto Bautista-Agut, has some big goals in the sport.
“My goal in tennis is to enjoy every moment,” said Fils. “On the court to smile in every match I am playing, to try my best to win some great moments and to be high in the rankings. I want to try my best and I have some big goals here.”
While Fils hopes to perform on the court in Auckland, he also wants to take on some other challenges while he is in the city.
“I have been told that our hotel is where the bungy is,” said Fils. “If I can jump off the building, then really, I will do that for sure.”
