The French No. 1 Arthur Fis returns to Grand Slam tennis for the first time since a hip injury forced him out of Roland-Garros. Speaking to the media at the All England Club, with a big smile, Arthur Fils discussed his recovery, his feel for grass three days before his first round against Raphael Collignon from Belgium. Like if noting really happened.
Arthur, on your recovery since Roland-Garros, what has the process been like to get ready to play here?
Fils: A lot of recovery. I spent a couple of weeks in Munich, seeing my doctor with my physio. Then I went to the south of France for three or four days, just to get active again. Now it’s been two weeks that we’ve been here in London, practising a lot, and the body responds very well. I’m sure I’ll play. When I was at the French Open, I didn’t have that certainty.
You said earlier in the year you weren’t sure you would play Wimbledon. How do you feel now compared with then?
Fils: Yes but it was before (just after Roland-Garros withdrawal, editor’s note). Everything is fine. The body feels good, the movement is good. Now it’s not a big injury – it was okay. And every time I come back, I know I’ll always play good tennis. So I just need to get back on the court, and then I enjoy myself.
The body is fine, I’m at 100 per cent. I know what it was, but it’s all behind me now.
Can you tell us what the injury actually was, and where you are with it now?
Fils: (Gently but firmly) No I won’t tell you. Everything is good. The body is fine, I’m at 100 per cent. I know what it was, but it’s all behind me now.
You don’t want to say whether it was the back, or both, or a mix?
Fils: No I don’t. You know, people talk, it’s tiresome, I’m always being asked about it. I prefer to keep it to myself.
Your grass experience is relatively limited, but when you have played on it you’ve played well, as proved by your fourth round in 2024. Do you see it as a surface you can do well on?
Fils: I really enjoy playing on grass. It’s good fun. You can jump, you can slide. It’s very cool, I really enjoy it. Let’s see if I’m playing well this week, but for now the practice has been pretty good. Every light is green.
Is “every light is green” something you’ve been able to say since you arrived here, or before? You mean these last two weeks?
Fils: That’s it, these two weeks. We’re able to train here, and you can go straight into it. It’s maybe simpler on good grass. I didn’t want to turn that down, so we decided to come. Goran (Ivanisevic), my coach, won here in 2001. So he’s actually a member, he can come and play. “You’d like to practice at Wimbledon on a good grass?” I just couldn’t say no.
Are we going to see some dives from you, given all the sliding and jumping?
Fils: I’ve never dived yet. But I’ll try my best during the match – I’ll try one or two, just to see if it’s fun. Everything is all right. I’m playing well, the body feels good, the movement is good.
Of course I have expectations. You know I’m not the type of guy to be here just to make up the numbers.
Do you have expectations for this tournament, or is it more about getting back to match fitness?
Fils: It’s my comeback tournament, but of course I have expectations. You know I’m not the type of guy to be here just to make up the numbers. I’m very, very good on grass. We’ve been training for two weeks and I feel good, so we’ll see what happens.
Compared with your first event back in February, would you say you’re as ready now?
Fils: Yes, of course. In February I wasn’t at the very top. Now I’m very, very good – it’s as if I’d never stopped.
You don’t think you’ll need a little time, as you did in February, before it clicks?
Fils: We’ll see on Tuesday. We’ll see how it plays on Tuesday. But I’m hopeful. Every light is green.
How did you handle the disappointment of missing Roland-Garros? It was a big goal for you.
Fils: It wasn’t that complicated. I was playing well at the time and I had big expectations, of course. But these things happen, as I’ve said before, I’ll have ten or fifteen more to play. So it happens, it’s not serious. It’s a shame, it was maybe a good opportunity, but I’ll have others.
Do you still have the Race to Turin in the back of your mind, having played relatively little?
Fils: Of course, the Race. The goal is to be in Turin at the end of the year. I believe I can do it.