Fils advances after Hurkacz retires in dramatic Wimbledon clash
Arthur Fils broke new Grand Slam ground in dramatic circumstances on Thursday afternoon at Wimbledon.
The #NextGenATP Frenchman reached the third round at a major for the first time after Hubert Hurkacz retired from an engrossing clash on No. 2 Court. Fils held match point at 7-6(2), 6-4, 2-6, 6-6 (9/8) when Hurkacz retired due to a leg injury he had suffered just three points prior.
“It’s very tough to win a match like this against a friend,” said Fils in his on-court interview. “We were playing super good in the fourth set. We had some great points, and he was jumping everywhere. I’m really sorry for him and I hope he will recover very quickly. Me, I’m focused on the next round.”
[ATP APP]At 7/7 in the fourth-set tie-break, Hurkacz grabbed the back of his right leg after pulling off a full-length dive for a volley. His shot dribbled over the net and Fils missed a very makeable ball into the net to hand the Pole a set point at 8/7. But Hurkacz’s efforts came at a cost as he received physio treatment on the court at spot of his dive, before hopping to his chair.
After the physio further massaged Hurkacz’s leg, the seventh seed returned to court, but appeared severely hindered by the injury. Fils promptly won the next two points before Hurkacz retired from the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash.
The 20-year-old Fils will next take on Tomas Machac or Roman Safiullin in the third round at the All England Club. It will be just his 10th tour-level match on grass, a surface on which he is growing more comfortable. Two weeks ago, the No. 34-ranked Fils reached his maiden ATP Tour grass quarter-final in Halle.
“First of all I didn’t really like the grass,” said Fils after moving past Hurkacz. “I’m feeling that I’m playing pretty good and I’m really happy to be in the third round. I will try my best to be in the second week.”
Progressing through another round at Wimbledon has also boosted Fils’ lead in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The Frenchman, who reached the championship match at the 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, is now 311 points clear of second-placed Jakub Mensik in the Live Race.
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