

Ah, the spice of professional tennis! Drama doesn’t end with the final point. Take the fiery exchange between Alexander Bublik and Corentin Moutet at the Phoenix Challenger in March 2025. The tension flared after Bublik served despite Moutet indicating he wasn’t ready, with Bublik reportedly saying, “I don’t give a s***.” Following the match, Bublik challenged Moutet, saying, “Ten minutes outside? Let’s go. We have a fight?” forcing the umpire to step in. Now, building on that history, tensions flared again at the Italian Open between Arthur Fils and Stefanos Tsitsipas!
At Rome’s Grand Stand Arena, Frenchman Fils reached the fourth round by coming from behind to beat Greek Tsitsipas 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 55 minutes. He sealed it with a forehand winner on match point. But after the match, sparks flew over a controversial body shot from Tsitsipas. As they shook hands, heated words were exchanged. The umpire had to intervene amid crowd jeers. The tension eased when Fils put his arm on Tsitsipas’ shoulder. The umpire said, “Good job guys, good job.”
In the post-match interview, Arthur Fils opened up. “That was a joke. I told him at the net he was playing unbelievable in the first set. He was killing me with his forehand, backhand, opening me up on the left and the right. Serving very well. I couldn’t do a lot of things. The 2nd set, I started to find the rhythm and the way to fight. Happy to finish strong like this on the serve.”
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Tsitsipas cruised through the first set 6-2 in their third-round clash in Rome, but Arthur wasn’t done yet. He said, “If you let him play, I think he’s one of the best clay court players. His forehand is a huge weapon. He’s a great champion. If I’m not putting him under pressure, I’m dead.” That’s just what he did!
The Frenchman bounced back fiercely, taking the next two sets 6-4, 6-2 to secure his spot in the fourth round. The match’s turning point? A backhand body shot from Tsitsipas- a legal move but one that often sparks debate. Fils used it as motivation, channeling his frustration into an inspired comeback.
Arthur Fils on beating Tsitsipas in Rome
“That was a joke. I told him at the net he was playing unbelievable in the first set. He was killing me with his forehand, backhand, opening me up on the left and the right. Serving very well. I couldn’t do a lot of things. The 2nd set, I… pic.twitter.com/XNIQIZvVi0
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 11, 2025
Just last month, at the Barcelona Open 2025, Tsitsipas’ abrupt injury retirement against Arthur Fils just six minutes into their quarter-final, while trailing 0-2 after a medical timeout, raised eyebrows. The young star himself deemed it “bizarre,” cutting their anticipated match short. The Frenchman, clearly surprised by the turn of events, stated in his on-court interview, “We played six minutes and now it’s over. I think it’s his back – I just hope he gets better soon.” He added, “I was ready to battle for a few hours because he’s a champion. Every time we play we have tough matches.”
What’s your perspective on:
Can Arthur Fils maintain his dominance over Tsitsipas, or will the Greek finally break the streak?
Have an interesting take?
The 20-year-old Fils, ranked a career-high No. 14, has shone at Masters 1000 events in 2025. He reached the quarter-finals in Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo. He also seems to raise his game against Tsitsipas. The young star has previously bested Tsitsipas at the Antwerp and Basel tournaments, and this Italian Open match was set to add another chapter to their rivalry. Boasting a strong 7-2 record against Top 20 players on clay since 2024, Fils presented a formidable challenge.
Now, their head-to-head stands at 4-0, all wins for the Frenchman. This comes after Tsitsipas explained his idea to take him down before their previous clash in Barcelona!
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Stefanos sets his sights on how to take Arthur Fils down
Last month, Tsitsipas opened up about his game plan ahead of a highly anticipated clash with rising French talent Arthur Fils. Speaking to The Tennis Channel, Tsitsipas acknowledged Fils’ rapid rise and explosive style, saying, “We have had our fair share of matches in the past. He is someone who actually has climbed the rankings quite fast. He has a very explosive game. I feel like my tactic and the way I am going to approach this match is not letting him dictate too much and create his own pace when he’s hitting and generating power too often.”
He admitted the challenge ahead: “It is one of those things that is not going to be easy. It is going to be demanding from my side to be able to play deep, have him on the stretch most of the time.” The Greek had yet to beat Fils in their previous two meetings, both on indoor hard courts, making their first potential encounter on clay a fresh test. Stefanos, who is a strong clay-court player, knew overcoming Fils would require something new. However, Stefanos had to withdraw from the match due to discomfort in his back.
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But it doesn’t cut out the fact that Arthur still stands as his greatest competition, right now. Currently ranked No. 14, he has been on the rise, showing the pace and all-court athleticism to challenge Tsitsipas’s one-handed backhand and overall game. Meanwhile, Tsitsipas will be looking to regain his top form ahead of the French Open, where he reached the final in 2021.
But before that, the stage is set for an exciting showdown in Rome. In his next round, Fils could face Alexander Zverev, adding more drama to this thrilling clay-court season. Will the young Frenchman deliver another upset? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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Can Arthur Fils maintain his dominance over Tsitsipas, or will the Greek finally break the streak?