After having to come through qualifying, Arthur Fils has enjoyed a convincing start to his Japan Open campaign.
Despite being ranked ninth in the world, Fils did not automatically qualify for the ATP 500 event in Tokyo because he and his team missed the registration deadline. The Frenchman went three sets in both of his qualifying matches, but ultimately secured a spot in the main draw, and is now into the quarterfinals after beating US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe.
Following a comfortable win in his first-round match versus Luca Van Assche, Fils beat second seed Tiafoe in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, to reach the last eight, where he will face Valentin Vacherot.
Arthur Fils claims his fifth top ten win of the 2026 season
Fils’ victory over Tiafoe was his fifth top-ten win of the season so far, which now ranks joint second on the ATP Tour. Fils surpassed the tallies of Carlos Alcaraz and Flavio Cobolli and is now tied with Tiafoe.
Jannik Sinner has the most top-ten wins of anyone on the ATP Tour this season with 10, having beaten world number two Alexander Zverev five times in 2026 and Alcaraz once. Sinner also has a win over Novak Djokovic, who was a top-ten player during their semifinal clash at Wimbledon.
Is Arthur Fils a genuine threat to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
This year, Fils has beaten the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti, despite dealing with injury struggles. He has won two titles this year: the Barcelona Open and the Cincinnati Open, his first ATP Masters 1000 crown.
Fils has faced his next opponent at the Japan Open, Vacherot, just once before, with the sole meeting coming at the Miami Open earlier this year. Fils beat Vacherot in three sets there to advance to the quarterfinals.
Arthur Fils reacts to defeating Frances Tiafoe in Tokyo
Reacting to his win over Tiafoe in his on-court interview, Fils said: “It was definitely a very good match. My level was very good from the start until the end. I’m very happy with the way I handled my serve under pressure, because he’s a great returner. I had to really be focused, and I’m really happy I did it, so it’s positive.”
Fils had recently beaten Tiafoe in the Cincinnati Open final, and now leads the American 3-0 in their head-to-head.
“I think I started pretty strong, but in Cincy, I started strong and then he reacted very well, and I knew in the second set he was going to play even better, so I’m very happy with the way I stayed focused. Even though I lost the long rally at 5-5, I knew it was not easy for him. I was still feeling great, so it was good.”
Fils is a former champion at the Japan Open, having won the title on his tournament debut in 2024.
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