\n See draw<\/p>\n
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Arthur Fils moved closer to reclaiming his place among the elite this Wednesday, following up a disciplined victory over Quentin Halys with the bombshell announcement that he has hired coaching legend Goran Ivanisevic.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old Frenchman reached the quarterfinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open by defeating his compatriot Halys 6-1, 7-6(7). The win was a testament to Fils\u2019 growing maturity and tactical discipline, especially following a grueling first-round comeback against Poland\u2019s Kamil Majchrzak, whom he defeated 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 on Monday. Against Halys, Fils dominated the opening set in just 28 minutes before navigating a high-pressure second set where his opponent\u2019s serve became a formidable obstacle.<\/p>\n
\u201cmaybe the best for me\u201d : Fils on Ivanisevic<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it was a good match against Quentin,\u201d Fils reflected after the win. \u201cThe first set was a bit one-sided; I played well. Then after that, in the second, it was a big fight. I expected that anyway. Quentin is a great player, especially a very good server. I knew I would play at least one tie-break during the match, so let\u2019s just say I was ready. It could have gone his way, it could have gone mine, but I\u2019m happy with the performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The headlines, however, were stolen by the presence of a new face in the player\u2019s box. Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion and former mentor to Novak Djokovic, has officially joined the Fils camp. The partnership marks a significant investment in Fils\u2019 development as he continues his \u201cRenaissance\u201d season after a stress fracture in his back sidelined him for much of 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cHell of a champion, winner of a Slam, and he coached a lot of guys, a lot of champions actually,\u201d Fils said of the Croatian legend. \u201cHe\u2019s helping me during the season. We are going to try it out, but I think it\u2019s good for me. It\u2019s maybe the best for me to have his experience as a coach and as a player. So very, very happy that he joined us during this long journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lehecka next<\/p>\n
Fils, currently ranked world No 40, emphasized that his physical condition is finally matching his mental grit. After losing six kilograms during his injury layoff to reduce strain on his back, the Frenchman feels he is nearing his peak level. \u201cI think I\u2019m starting to play at my best level. I\u2019ve played much better before, of course, but now, since Montpellier, Rotterdam, and here, I feel very good. Physically, for now, it\u2019s holding up. Everything is fine, so we continue. You have to be intelligent and not push too hard, but for now, it\u2019s positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
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