Following the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the undisputed top 2 in men’s tennis, fans and followers of the sport have been crying out for a third challenger, a spanner to the works, the one who alters the status quo. That desire to see a third man isn’t just borne of a desire to have 3 players compete at the highest level, but is born of what many regard as tennis’s greatest era, embodied by the fabled “Big Three”.
For the longest time, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic encapsulated the modern game. Perhaps the rise of Djokovic later in the rivalry is what tennis fans romanticise and hope to relive, as it truly took the sport to different heights, oftentimes dazzling. For a while now, it seems, we’ve had two of the ingredients, but finding the final piece has proved much more elusive. While many players have shown promise, few have done so in any sustained fashion, leading fans to believe it’s on.
A New Challenger to Carlos Alcaraz?
The hope for a new challenger has at different points looked like a few prospects, such as Ben Shelton, Lorenzo Musetti, and Jack Draper. As stated, none of them has yet done enough to close that gap. Also, with all of them being at least 23 years or over, attention has somewhat justifiably turned to younger prospects. One player, looking to make a ripple or at least fans hope he might be able to, is Arthur Fils. First, breaking onto the scene in 2023 when he won his maiden title at the Lyon Open aged 19, making his way into the top 100 in the process. It been a steady climb from there on, until halted by injury in May last year. Before that setback, he had made it as #14 in the ATP rankings.
In the time before that and since returning, there has been a growing body of work suggesting that this is a player who could really make a splash, let alone a ripple. Like Alcaraz, the man he hopes to challenge regularly, his game is characterised by a powerful forehand, remarkable court coverage and physical strength.
There are some obvious flaws in his game, such as a high number of double faults on serve, shot selection – going for too much, too soon, and return of serve; however, these flaws are expected to be ironed out over time. Perhaps the one thing that really sets Fils apart is his elite mentality; he seems to embrace the pressure and even thrive on it. Watching him on a court in some big matches, he gives off the aura that he strongly believes he belongs there. Probably the most telling about his ambitions and where he sees himself is the recent appointment of Goran Ivanisevic as his coach.
Alcaraz Again
Soon after returning to the tour, he now faces Alcaraz for the third time in his career, having played twice last year before his injury, both on clay, in which the Spanish maestro emerged victorious each time. The match itself might be coming a little too soon for him, but his run to this final, so soon after returning from injury, is a nod to his obvious talent.
He has dropped only one set all week, while dispatching some high-quality opponents. Most impressive was how he dispatched Jakub Mensik in straight sets, a player who came into the match on a high after defeating Jannik Sinner in commanding fashion. It is still to be seen how he would fare against Alcaraz, who is undoubtedly the best player of 2026 so far. Alcaraz is expected to win, but fans would hope that Fils can really test him and give even more hope that his partnership with Goran might lead to what tennis fans have been yearning for for some time now.
If this partnership goes on to deliver what most people think it would, then these matches between Alcaraz and Fils might just become a regular occurrence. From my perspective, there’s no reason this match-up can’t become a mainstay, so far Fils’ body holds up. The technical attributes are certainly there; the mentality screams, I belong here, and now a master is guiding all of that promise in the shape of Goran to where it needs to be. I would say buckle up, as this may be the start of an entirely exciting chapter in the sport of tennis. Fingers crossed!
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports