Arthur Fils suffered a heavy defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Qatar Open.
Fils was beaten by Alcaraz, 6-2 6-1, in his first final since returning to tennis after recovering from the back injury that saw him out of action for six months.
The singles final in Doha lasted just 50 minutes, and was the quickest final Alcaraz has ever played in his career.
Fils has now reflected on his defeat to Alcaraz, as he revealed if the Spaniard is the best player he has ever faced.
Arthur Fils says Carlos Alcaraz in the Qatar Open final is the best he has ever faced
After Fils’ run to the final of the Qatar Open he was scheduled to compete in Dubai, where he spoke to Tennis TV about his final against Alcaraz, but has since withdrawn from the tournament ahead of his first round match.
When asked if this Alcaraz’s performance in the Qatar Open final was the best anyone has ever played against him, Fils responded by confirming that he thinks that is the case.
“Yeah, I think so,” said Fils. “I mean, I’ve never had a really tough loss, I don’t remember. Sorry for the word but I never got my a– kicked that much. Two days ago was, he played pretty good (smiles).”
Fils has now played Alcaraz three times, with all of those meetings taking place over the last 12 months, and he is still yet to beat the world number one.
The closest he came to doing so was in their maiden meeting at the Monte Carlo Masters last year, where Fils won the first set before Alcaraz fought back.
| Year | Tournament | Result |
| 2025 | Monte Carlo Masters (QF) | Alcaraz beat Fils, 4-6 7-5 6-3 |
| 2025 | Barcelona Open (SF) | Alcaraz beat Fils, 6-2 6-4 |
| 2026 | Qatar Open (F) | Alcaraz beat Fils, 6-2 6-1 |
Although Fils did not have the result he would have liked in the final, it was an overall positive week for the young Frenchman in Doha, which was just his third tournament after returning from injury.
When asked how close he feels to his top level, Fils suggested that he still has some way to go, but is happy with the way he is trending.
“Well you know, I know I can play some great tennis,” answered Fils. “I’ve been 14 in the world and I was playing pretty good before I got injured, so I know that I can play.
“I think that now I’m playing pretty good, it’s always taking a bit of time to his level and my level especially, but it’s getting better and better. I will always say I think I’ve played better in the past, but it’s okay it’s a long process, long journey, so it’s all good.”
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Arthur Fils explains what his relationship is like with new coach Goran Ivanisevic
Fils reaching the final at the Qatar Open was not the only revelation last week, as he also confirmed his new coach.
The world number 34 is now working with former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, who has recently coached Stefanos Tsitsipas, Elena Rybakina and Novak Djokovic, the latter of which he helped win nine major titles.
With a lot of intrigue about this new coaching partnership, Fils has spoken positively about his relationship with Ivanisevic, who he claimed is ‘pretty funny’.
“Yeah it’s pretty nice,” said Fils. “We just started working five days ago or one week ago, but it’s very nice. I really enjoy, he’s pretty funny
“…He has a lot of experience, so whatever I feel, he’s already felt it. At least it’s pretty good, so he knows what I’m going through, so he can give me some advice and he can help me, and it’s very nice to talk with him.”
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After withdrawing from the Dubai Tennis Championships, it will be over a week until Fils returns to the match court.
Fils’ next tournament is now Indian Wells, where he reached the quarterfinals last year.
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