ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 10, 2025

Arthur Fils

Press Conference

A. FILS/A. Rublev

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. I can just say, "Wow," just for that match.

ARTHUR FILS: Yes, it was a good match. From A to Z I was very focused. I made the right choices. I was implementing my tactics. I was feeling good. This was a really good match.

Q. In the beginning of the second set, there were six points starting with a crazy return on a slice, and then you played several shots in a row with a total momentum. In spite of that, you got broken back. What happened in your mind?

ARTHUR FILS: There is nothing I can blame myself for. I made an early mistake at first, and then after, he played three winners. I can't say anything to that.

I was able to come back at 30-All, and he played four good points. In those moments, you have to try to stop the bleeding, because 15-Love, 30-Love, and he's playing better and better. And on my side, I'm not being as lucid and I'm not playing right anymore.

But I was not too much worried. I knew I needed to go back into it with my mind and I would have more opportunities, so I didn't panic.

Q. You were in a zone, or is that just your average level today?

ARTHUR FILS: No, this was not average level. It was a very good match. Maybe not the best match of my whole life, but it was a very good one. There is not much to say. When I play my average level, I don't play as well.

Q. You were saying yesterday your movements on the court were not well adjusted. Today was just perfect. How can you explain overnight you were able to make this improvement?

ARTHUR FILS: Well, yesterday I was a bit sleepy when I got on the court. It was not easy and my opponent was making me run a lot.

Today my eyes were bright open. It was easier. I was seeing the ball better, and for movements, it's better. We didn't do much between yesterday and today. Just felt better. As I will play more matches, I will become better every time.

Q. Yesterday it was supposed to be an easier match than today. How can you explain that you played so well today? Is it just the learning process?

ARTHUR FILS: That I was supposed to win easily?

Q. No, not easily, but that you did win pretty fast.

ARTHUR FILS: Well, you're right. On paper, it was supposed to be a bit easier yesterday than today. But he's a very good player. I respect him. He did well in Bucharest. I was not expecting an easy match yesterday and even less today.

But you don't have an easy match when you come to the court. You make it easy for yourself if you can, and I was able to start off the matches well yesterday and today, and that changes the match.

If you start off really well, if you are confident and the opponent tries to raise his game, he has to take risks and might make mistakes, which happens to me when the other one starts off well.

So I played two good matches. I won them easily as the score might seem, but they could have been more complicated.

Q. Tomorrow, center court is waiting for you, finally. You didn't ask specifically to play on the Court des Princes today?

ARTHUR FILS: No, no. I'm always sent to the Court des Princes or the de Massy court. I can't do much about it. I'm not the tournament director. It's going to be great tomorrow to play on center court.

Q. It might be against Alcaraz. If it's him, of course everybody is very excited about that. And you also, I suppose?

ARTHUR FILS: Well, if it's him, it's going to be the first time I'm going to play him. It's going to be a good experience. He's a big champion. He won four Grand Slams already. I didn't win a single one.

It's going to be a good experience. But it can be Altmaier coming out because he plays well now. It's going to be a very good match, anyway.

Q. How does it feel to play without linesmen anymore? It's been a few Masters 1000 now.

ARTHUR FILS: I answered that question two or three days ago already. On hard courts -- well, I think we're losing the charm of tennis. When I was young I remember the linesmen. There was more life going on on the court.

On hard courts, it's not as bad, but on clay court, really, I miss them. It's nice to have the umpire's opinion and watching, you know, the mark.

Sometimes machines can make mistakes too. So it's different for clay. I don't really like it like this. I prefer to have linesmen, but I don't think I have a choice.