Arthur Fils reveals Goran Ivanisević’s role for the clay season after Miami Open exit

Arthur Fils’ remarkable return from injury continued at the Miami Open, though his run was cut short in the semifinals by a sharp Jiri Lehecka.

Lehecka, who will now take on Jannik Sinner in the final, put together a strong performance to stop Fils’ progress.

The result doesn’t take away from what has been an impressive stretch for Fils. The Frenchman continues to draw plenty of praise, and this latest deep run came in just his fifth tournament back after a significant time away from the game.

Even with limited time together so far, Goran Ivanisević’s influence on Fils is clear as he works his way back into form on the tour.

After his semifinal match, Fils spoke about Ivanisević and addressed whether their partnership might become more permanent going forward.

Arthur Fils clarifies his coaching plans after Miami Open exit

During his post-match press conference, the 21-year-old was asked about his coaching setup moving forward.

After a strong run on the hard courts, the focus now shifts to clay as he prepares for a return to Roland Garros, where he suffered the back injury that sidelined him for much of last year.

“The second question, if Goran is gonna come on the clay-court swing… I mean, so he is gonna come to Monaco, and we’re gonna practice, and Ivan’s gonna come back… I think in Rome, or I don’t exactly remember the schedule, but yeah,” Fils said. “We’re gonna have a couple of weeks. I mean, I’m gonna have a couple of weeks with both of them.

“I’m gonna have some weeks with Goran, some weeks with Ivan, but yeah, everything is fine.”

The young Frenchman recently mentioned that he feels he’s playing better now than before his injury break. And it seems clear that Ivanisevic’s influence has played an important role in that progress.

Arthur Fils could challenge for a Grand Slam title this year

If the last couple of months have shown anything, it’s that Arthur Fils has put himself firmly in the mix for big titles.

He’ll now try to take that form into the Grand Slams, with Roland Garros up next – a major event he’ll be eager to perform well at, especially given his past injury history there.

Since coming back from injury, Fils has posted impressive results: a final in Qatar, a quarter-final run at Indian Wells, and now a semi-final appearance in Miami – all in just five tournaments.

So far though, his best result at a major remains just one appearance beyond the third round.

Even so, with his form trending upwards and plenty of time to sharpen up before the next Slam, there’s every reason to think he could make some noise on the big stage this season.

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