A few months ago, Arthur Fils was sitting on the sidelines with a stress fracture in his back, watching the tour move on without him. The 21-year-old returned to the sport in February at the Occitanie Open, losing to top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals. Now, he reached his first-ever Masters 1000 semifinal in Miami, losing to Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. His recovery is clearly on track, and now he’s doubling down by bringing in a “supercoach” to sharpen his game for the clay season.

Goran Ivanisevic, who coached Novak Djokovic to 12 of his 24 Grand Slam titles, joined the Frenchman in Doha for a brief trial period. Fils had said at the time that they would test the partnership this season, and Ivanisevic is now set to join him for the clay swing as they prepare for Roland Garros.

“Goran will join us for the clay season. He will come to Monaco, then Ivan will return, I think, to Rome. We will spend a few weeks with Goran, then a few weeks with Ivan (Cinkus),” Fils said.

Ivan Cinkus is the primary coach of the former world No. 14, but Ivanisevic joins as a specialist who will provide valuable input during the season. When the former Wimbledon champion joined the team, Fils was excited to have him on board. 

“Hell of a champion, winner of a Slam, and he coached a lot of guys, a lot of champions actually. He’s helping me during the season. We are going to try [it out], but I think it’s good for me. It’s maybe the best for me to have his experience as a coach and as a player. So very, very happy that he joined us during this long journey,” Fils told ATP Media.

On Saturday, the world No. 31 lost to Jiri Lehecka, winning 61% of his first-serve points and just 39% on his second serve. To compete with the tour’s best, Fils will need to tighten up his serve and lift those numbers.

“It’s working really well. I’m focused on my spots, I’m mixing it up. We’re doing great work as a team — with Ivan and Goran, but Ivan in particular on the serve. The work is paying off now. I hope it continues, and there’s no reason it should stop,” Fils stated.

The outcomes have been self-explanatory. Having joined Ivanisevic on a trial basis in February, Fils has already sailed to the final of the Qatar Open, the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells, and now the semifinals at Miami. For a player returning from nine months on the sidelines, the trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable.

The physical recovery has been clearly on track, but the mental side remains a question. 

“When I’m 100%, I can play excellent tennis. I’ve known that for a long time. But now I have to find a way to win even when I’m not at my best. Or at least a way to make the match difficult for my opponent. I think it’s a long process. We’ll work on it week after week,” he said.

Arthur Fils has powered through a 13-5 run (72% win rate) in 18 ATP hard-court matches this year, capped by a Doha final (4-1), Indian Wells quarterfinal (3-1), and Miami semifinal (4-1).

That Miami SF collapse came right after he saved four match points in a brutal quarterfinal marathon over Tommy Paul, 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 7-6(6), no breaks. These high-stakes grinds, including his Doha final loss, prove that his post-injury physical toughness but expose sharp drop-offs when pressure peaks.

Adding, “Yes, but it’s mostly mental fatigue. Physically, I feel good right now. It’s just that mentally, I need to find something that will help me give more. In these kinds of important matches, I need to be able to find the energy. I’m only 21, so I have plenty of time to develop this aspect with my team.”

It is an honest confession of a player who has never been afraid of commenting on his own shortcomings. The Miami run was constructed on big performances, but it also revealed the narrow margins between a deep run and a title. The semifinal defeat to the 21st seed was a wake-up call that it takes more than booming tennis to be consistent throughout a two-week tournament.

Arthur Fils hopes to find the balance needed with his team

The situation Arthur Fils is in is the one that characterizes the careers of the most explosive, high-energy players. Adrenaline, the big forehand, the relentless baseline exchanges, and the interaction with the crowd boost his game. It is a style that can create many memorable moments, but a hard one to sustain over a long period of time. He is trying to find a balance. 

“I know I need a lot of energy to play my best tennis. But do I really need that much? I don’t know. It certainly allows me to play crazy matches. But sometimes, it can also have a negative impact on subsequent matches,” Fils said.

“And as I said, I have to talk to the team about it. I was a little down, but these things happen. It’s a difficult balance to find. We have to find solutions because I don’t want to change my approach. I just need to improve.”

It is a discussion that one might believe Ivanisevic, who spent six years dealing with the emotional intensity of Djokovic on the highest level, is best suited to find his way through. It is precisely this sort of knowledge that Fils is seeking to imbibe, as the Croatian has been exposed to the pressures of deep tournament runs and the psychological stamina that is needed to maintain them.

Now the three-time ATP tour titlist has a target and a test in Roland Garros, where he incurred the back injury that cost him his 2025 season. The clay season, with Ivanisevic courtside in Monaco and Rome, will be enlightening on just how far this partnership and this player can go.