December 22, 2024
Frenchman Arthur Fils reached his fourth tour-level quarter-final of the season on Thursday at the Hamburg European Open, where he overcame Serbian Dusan Lajovic 7-5, 7-5.
The 19-year-old Fils captured his maiden tour-level title in Lyon in May but arrived at the ATP 500 clay-court event in Hamburg off the back of four consecutive defeats. He has looked close to his best in Germany, though, backing up his first-round win against Daniel Elahi Galan with a controlled display against Lajovic.
Fils rallied from a break down in both sets, winning 48 per cent (23/48) of points on Lajovic’s first serve to triumph after one hour and 41 minutes. He will next meet top seed Casper Ruud or Chilean Cristian Garin.
“It is a big tournament, there are a lot of points,” Fils said. “I am happy about reaching the quarter-finals, but I am looking at the semi-finals or final if I can.
“He has an amazing backhand. He was killing me crosscourt and then hitting down the line. I tried to play with my forehand to make him move, because he was making me move, so I wanted to change that.”
Fils is currently fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race as he aims to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals at the end of the season. The Frenchman is on 783 points, 138 points clear of fifth-placed American Ben Shelton (645). Earlier this year, Fils advanced to semi-finals at ATP 250 events in Montpellier and Marseille, alongside his title run at the ATP 250 in Lyon.
Defending champion Lorenzo Musetti also advanced, defeating Slovakian lucky loser Jozef Kovalik in a match that spanned two days due to rain.
After play was suspended midway through the second set on Wednesday night, Italian Musetti returned on Thursday to turn the match around, advancing 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 after two hours and seven minutes.
“I put a lot of physical and fighting spirit on the court today,” Musetti said. “I was not finding my best tennis and I could feel that. There was a lot of frustration inside. I was running a lot to get to a lot of balls and I was a little bit lucky and I took the chances that he gave me. I think the great champions, most of the time, don’t play their best tennis but win. I made it so I am really proud of myself.”
Musetti battled back from a break down in the third set, winning the final three games of the match to clinch victory in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against the 30-year-old Kovalik.
The World No. 18, who defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the title match in Hamburg 12 months ago, will next meet Laslo Djere in the quarter-finals. The 21-year-old is chasing his first tour-level title of the season, having triumphed in Hamburg and Naples in 2022.
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