Fils Overcomes Back Injury; Faces Younger Opponent Alcaraz in Finals

Carlos Alcaraz is set to compete in the finals of the Doha tournament against Arthur Fils on Saturday at 19:00 local time. This match marks the 34th final of Alcaraz’s professional career. Until now, all previous 33 finals featured rivals older than him. Facing Fils, who is 21 years old and ranked 40th, will be a different experience.

Carlos Alcaraz vs. Arthur Fils: A Clash of Generations

This final guarantees Fils will rise to position 33 in the ATP rankings on Monday, although he still has a way to go to reach his career-high ranking of 14, achieved on April 14, 2025. That peak came after he reached the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, where he lost to Alcaraz. The ATP later recognized that match as the best of the year.

Previous Encounters

Fils and Alcaraz have faced each other twice before. Their first match was in the semifinals of the Barcelona Open a week after their meeting in Monte Carlo.

Fils’ Journey and Injury Struggles

Arthur Fils, hailed as a promising talent for French tennis, faced significant setbacks in the previous season. He suffered a stress fracture in his L5 vertebra during the second round of the French Open while playing against Jaume Munar. Although he won that match, he could not continue to the next round against Andrey Rublev.

• Fils managed a quick return during the Toronto tournament, achieving a win against Pablo Carreño but then had to rest again until February.
• His official return was in Montpellier, where he reached the quarterfinals but was defeated by Felix Auger-Aliassime, the eventual champion.
• In Rotterdam, he faced a challenging debut against Alex de Miñaur and was eliminated early.

In Doha, however, Fils has advanced to the finals, demonstrating significant progress in his performance.

New Coaching Collaboration

Fils has recently teamed up with renowned coach Goran Ivanisevic, who has an impressive track record coaching multiple champions, including Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Elina Rybakina. Fils spoke highly of Ivanisevic, stating, “Goran is an exceptional champion and a Grand Slam winner. His experience as both a coach and a player is invaluable, and I’m very pleased to have him on this journey.”

This final not only signifies a notable milestone for both players but also showcases the talent and potential of the younger generation in tennis.