Boris Becker has placed Arthur Fils in the same category as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, calling the 22-year-old Frenchman a future superstar as he arrives at the US Open after the biggest title of his career. Becker’s verdict comes at a particularly interesting moment for Fils, who has transformed his season with a Masters 1000 breakthrough in Cincinnati.
Fils defeated Frances Tiafoe in the Cincinnati Open final to capture his first Masters 1000 title, the most important trophy of his career so far. The result has taken him to No. 11 in the ATP rankings and into the top 10 of the live rankings, while he currently sits fifth in the Race to Turin despite having played significantly fewer tournaments than many of his rivals.
The Frenchman has had to overcome a difficult period physically to reach this point. He missed two Grand Slam tournaments this season because of injury problems and was also sidelined for six months last year with a back injury. Now looking healthy again, Fils has produced his strongest stretch of results at exactly the right time.
The US Open could provide another opportunity. Sinner is absent, Alcaraz has only recently returned from a wrist injury and Djokovic arrives at 39 with questions over his physical condition. With several of the biggest names facing uncertainty, Fils is among the younger contenders capable of exploiting an unusually open draw and making a deep run.
Becker sees Fils alongside Sinner and Alcaraz
Becker’s assessment goes well beyond the usual praise given to an emerging player. The six-time Grand Slam champion believes Fils already possesses the qualities required to sit alongside the two dominant names of the younger generation.
“Anyone who has some tennis sense sees him as a future superstar, on the same level as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. For me, he’s so strong that he belongs in that category despite having had physical problems,” Becker said on the Becker-Petkovic podcast.