Ex-tennis ace made to 'sleep in Wimbledon locker room' by abusive father after semis loss

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Fils Answers Rafa's Call For Training Camp In Kuwait

As he closes the books on his breakthrough 2023 season, French teen Arthur Fils is wasting little time in preparing to push even higher in 2024.

The 19-year-old, who finished runner-up to Hamad Medjedovic Saturday at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM in Jeddah, will remain in the Middle East for a practice week with Rafael Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Kuwait.

"I was very happy, very surprised when he asked me to practise with him," Fils said in his post-match press conference. "It's such a big thing for me to play with one of the greatest players of all time. I will try my best for him but I have a big season coming so I will also try my best for myself. I will try to enjoy it as well."

Despite the disappointment of losing in five sets to Medjedovic after saving two match points in the fourth set, Fils can be justifiably happy with his banner year in 2023. He shaved more than 200 places off his Pepperstone ATP Ranking during the year to finish inside the Top 40.

"It was a nice year for sure. I started at 250 but finished at 36, so that's pretty good. It still could have been better. I lost some close matches, like I did today, but it's just experience and I will try to do better next year.”

Fils, who had not won a tour-level match before this year, finishes 2023 with a 23-18 match record, including his 4-1 mark in Jeddah. He won his first title in Lyon and also reached the Antwerp final.

Although Fils said he has been inspired by the rapid rise of Carlos Alcaraz, who became World No. 1 last year at 19, he is not putting pressure on himself to emulate the Spaniard, at least in the short term.

"My goal is not to be No. 1 in the world in three months, because it's not possible,” Fils said. “I have to work, to work, to work. I have to work in the gym, work on the court, try my best in every match I play and then maybe one day I will be a champion. I hope it comes fast, but not as fast as Carlos, because what he did was crazy."

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Medjedovic Is Next! Serbian Triumphs At Next Gen ATP Finals

Hamad Medjedovic capped his breakthrough season by lifting the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM trophy on Saturday in Jeddah, where he recovered from squandering two match points in the fourth set against Arthur Fils to win the first five-set final in tournament history.

The 20-year-old played aggressively in front of a packed crowd in King Abdullah Sports City, where he received loud support from energetic fans. The Serbian took large cuts at the ball, won 88 per cent (61/69) of points on his first delivery and converted his third match point to fire past the 19-year-old Frenchman 3-4(6), 4-1, 4-2, 3-4(9), 4-1 after two hours and 11 minutes.

It also capped a great end of the season for Serbia after Novak Djokovic clinched a record seventh Nitto ATP Finals crown in Turin earlier this month. The World No. 1 has been sending Medjedovic messages of support this week.

"Two of us from Serbia. He won the big Masters, the real one, and I won the Next Gen. Obviously it's a huge thing and I'm happy to follow in his footsteps in some way," Medjedovic said.

Medjedovic did not lose a match en route to becoming the first Serbian to triumph at the tournament, taking home a tournament-record $514,000 in prize money.

At No. 110 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the 20-year-old is the lowest-ranked champion in tournament history, while he is the sixth Next Gen ATP Finals titlist, joining Top 10 stars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

"I can’t believe I have won this title, but it's going to give me a lot of confidence for 2024,"Medjedovic said. "Arthur is an amazing player; he's Top 40 for a reason, so I'm really happy."

"It was tough after the first set. I changed my clothes and recovered and started to play good again. I didn't play good when I had match points in the fourth set. I wasn't relaxed, I was very stiff. Thank God I recovered and I was just trying to stay relaxed as much as I could and I managed to do it in the end.”

_{^{Fuel Gauge shows how much a player should have left in the tank based on historical benchmarks.}}

Both players come out firing on serve in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. They dropped just one point each on their first deliveries, with Fils hitting six aces and Medjedovic seven. With little to separate them, the Frenchman came to life deep in the tie-break, saving two set points before he clinched the opener on his first set point.

After taking a toilet break, Medjedovic found his best level at the start of the second set. He flew through his service games, making use of the shortened shot-clock rule between aces to gain momentum and level. The Serbian then broke in the first game of the third set and continued his impressive level on serve in the third set, winning all 10 points behind his first delivery.

The fourth set then went to a tie-break and Medjedovic moved to match point at 6/4. Fils saved both on second serves, before clinching the set to force a deciding set. The Serbian, who struck 34 winners, including 19 aces, would not be denied though. He raced through the decider, collapsing to the floor after converting on his third match point.

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Medjedovic, who is coached by former World No. 12 Viktor Troicki, won three ATP Challenger Tour trophies in 2023, while he reached tour-level semi-finals in Gstaad and Astana.

Fils, who won his maiden tour-level title in Lyon in May, started the season at No. 251 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings but arrived in Jeddah at a career-high No. 36. He is the first French teenager to finish the season inside the Top 50 since then-19-year-olds Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils in 2005.

Did You Know?
Medjedovic hit 69 aces during the event. No player in tournament history has hit more aces at the event than the Serbian.

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Fils Meets Medjedovic: Who Will Join Exclusive Club In Jeddah?

The final chance for title glory of the 2023 ATP Tour season also represents an opportunity for Arthur Fils and Hamad Medjedovic to join an impressive list of champions at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM.

Top seed Fils and sixth seed Medjedovic face off at 8 p.m. local time Saturday at King Abdullah Sports City, where they are each hoping to join current Top 10 stars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Stefanos Tsitsipas as champions at the season-ending 21-and-under event.

Both players head into the championship match undefeated for the week in Saudi Arabia and their maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting promises to be an intriguing one. Despite Fils sitting 74 places higher than Medjedovic in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the Frenchman will take nothing for granted against a player who has thrilled fans this week with his powerful groundstrokes and huge serving.

“We’ve known each other a long time,” said the World No. 36 Fils on Friday in Jeddah. “We played juniors together, so I know that he has an unbelievable serve. The fastest of the tournament. It’s going to be a tough one. I’m going to need to know exactly how to play, with good tactics, but I think that it’s going to be a good match for sure.

“With his tennis and my tennis, we are altogether playing [well]. Let’s see tomorrow, but he’s a nice guy. I hope he will be very good for the next generation [on Tour], but not tomorrow I hope.”

Fils showed impressive composure to down his friend and countryman Luca Van Assche in four sets in the semi-finals on Friday, before Medjedovic advanced after Dominic Stricker (back) retired in the second set of their last-four clash. The 20-year-old Serbian is looking forward to reigniting his junior rivalry with Fils when the pair steps out in the first ATP-sanctioned title match on Saudi Arabian soil.

“I think it’s going to be a really good match,” said Medjedovic on Saturday. “Arthur is a really good player, he’s already [World No.36]. He’s a really good friend of mine as well. I’ve known him for a long time and I’m excited to play him tomorrow.”

Fils won 19 tour-level matches in 2023 and lifted his maiden ATP Tour title in Lyon in May, while Medjedovic reached his first semi-finals at that level in Gstaad and Astana and also lifted three trophies on the ATP Challenger Tour. Having each enjoyed breakthrough years, both will want to finish 2023 with a flourish by becoming Next Gen ATP Finals champion in Jeddah.

“To end the year like this is always nice,” said Medjedovic when asked how much winning would boost him heading into 2024. “Especially if I win the whole tournament. I’m happy to be in the final, but the job is not done yet and I want to win tomorrow.”

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Medjedovic Sets Fils Final After Stricker Retires

Hamad Medjedovic advanced to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM title match on Friday when Dominic Stricker was forced to retire in the second set due to a back injury in the pair's semi-final.

Medjedovic was leading Stricker 4-3(5), 2-1 when the Swiss walked to the net and ended the clash. The 20-year-old Medjedovic struck 12 winners and three unforced errors during the 32 minutes they were on court before the match came to an early close.

Medjedovic, who went 3-0 in the round-robin stage on debut in Jeddah, will face top seed Arthur Fils in the title match. Both are looking to become the sixth champions at the 21-and-under event, joining previous winners Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

In a heavy-hitting first set, both players took large cuts at the ball to try and dictate, with serve dominating on the fast courts. Medjedovic won 93 per cent (14/15) of his first-serve points in the opener with Stricker not losing a point behind his first delivery (11/11). With little to separate them, Medjedovic produced his best level in the tie-break, hitting through the Swiss lefty to lead.

The 20-year-old then earned an early break at the start of the second set before Stricker retired.

Medjedovic, who is coached by former-World No. 12 Viktor Troicki, has enjoyed a standout season. The Serbian reached tour-level semi-finals in Gstaad and Astana and won three ATP Challenger Tour events.

Stricker was making his second appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals. The 21-year-old Swiss, who reached the fourth round at the US Open, also fell at the semi-final stage in 2022.

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