Arthur Fils: 'I’ve been looking forward to playing in Paris'

It would be unfair to suggest that the hopes of an entire nation rest on his shoulders, but Arthur Fils is undoubtedly one of the most eagerly awaited players heading into his first appearance at the Plenitude Arena.

Still firmly in the race for a spot among the eight qualifiers for the ATP Finals in Turin, the Cincinnati Masters 1000 champion is above all determined to perform on home soil, in conditions perfectly suited to his game and in front of what promises to be an electric atmosphere. Exactly the kind of stage on which the 22-year-old thrives.

Arthur, how are you feeling after retiring from your quarter-final match in Basel?

Arthur Fils: Since Basel, I’ve had a lot of treatment and I’ll have some more today before testing myself on court for the first time this afternoon. But I feel good. My body feels good and I’m 100 per cent certain that I’ll be playing this tournament.

How do you manage the physical demands of playing tournaments week after week?

The more experience I gain, the better I understand my body. I know there are certain limits that I can’t push too far. Sometimes I need to be careful and other times I can go all out. It’s a difficult balance to find, but it’s something I work on every day with my team.

All the young players on Tour are dealing with injuries. The calendar is packed and every match is played at such a high intensity. It’s not just me, everybody feels it. In Basel, I had some pain in my left leg, but it was muscular, nothing worrying.

How do you feel about being in contention for your first ATP Finals qualification?

I wouldn’t say I feel pressure. It’s more excitement than anything else. I see the positive side of it. I’m 22 years old and I have the opportunity to qualify for the ATP Finals. If it doesn’t happen this year, there will be other chances. This part of the season, indoors, makes matches even tighter. Everyone serves well, everyone returns well and I’ve played a lot of tie-breaks recently. You have to fight even harder to win these matches.

What does the Rolex Paris Masters mean to you?

Since the beginning of the season, I’ve been looking forward to playing in Paris. I wasn’t able to play Roland-Garros and this will be my first experience at the Plenitude Arena. I don’t know whether the atmosphere will be crazy, but the arena is huge and if there’s a close match or a tight scoreline, I’m sure it’s going to be special.

There are so many memorable moments from this tournament, but the first one that comes to mind is Gaël chasing down all those overheads from Marin Cilic and getting the crowd going completely wild! (Quarter-final, Rolex Paris Masters 2009.)