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Arthur Fils became the first ATP Tour winner on Saudi Arabian soil on Tuesday at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM, but only after the top seed overcame a stern five-set test from Luca Nardi in Jeddah.
The 19-year-old Fils prevailed 2-4, 4-3(6), 4-2, 1-4, 4-2 against his Italian opponent to make a winning start to Green Group. The Frenchman won 80 per cent (33/41) of points behind his first serve to ensure a winning debut at the season-ending 21-and-under event.
“It was a tough match. The first time in my life I’m playing first to four games,” said Fils in his on-court interview. “Things can change very quickly. I was leading two sets to one, had break points, and I was feeling very good. Then I lost a deuce point and everything changed, but I’m really happy to win today.”
Perhaps needing more time to settle due to the absence of an on-court warmup (one of several new innovative rules in place for this week’s tournament), Fils struggled for consistency off both wings across the opening 45 minute at King Abdullah Sports City. He crucially saved a set point before winning the second-set tie-break, however, and held his nerve again in the deciding set for a two-hour, three-minute triumph.
“It’s a mental adjustment, but it’s also a physical one,” Fils told ATPTour.com, when asked how his warm-up had differed due to the new rule. “Normally I never play before a match. Today I had to play right before with my coaches.
“We played 10 minutes, probably, just to feel the ball and to come on the court warm. Not as warm as when you start a normal match, but it was OK. I don’t know if it’s going to happen in the future [on the ATP Tour], but if it happens, we are going to have to adjust to come on the court and just play.”
Players Get Up To Speed On New Rules, Innovations In Jeddah
In contrast, the World No. 115 Nardi opted not to change his usual pre-match warm-up.
“I didn’t want to change anything from my routine,” Nardi told ATPTour.com. “It wasn’t easy to get into the match because I hadn’t touched the ball on court. I think it was a positive match in the end, even if I lost.
“It’s not easy for me to open the tournament with these new rules, no warm-up, the crowd was screaming all the time. It wasn’t that easy to be focused on every point, but I think I kept a good level for all the match. In the end he played better, but I’m confident for the next matches.”
Luca Nardi plays Arthur Fils in the first ATP-sanctioned match in Saudi Arabia.” />
Luca Nardi in action on Tuesday in Jeddah. Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Fils has enjoyed a breakout year on the ATP Tour, clinching his first title at that level in Lyon in May. He will finish the season at No. 36 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, having started 2023 at No. 249 — the biggest jump into the Top 50 from last year of any player on Tour.
Third seed Dominic Stricker and fifth seed Flavio Cobolli are the other two players in Green Group. The pair is next on court in Jeddah, where the eight-strong field is split into two groups of four.
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