Miami Open: Fils saved four match points in a dramatic tiebreak and will play his first Masters 1000 semi-final

The Miami Open has Arthur Fils (31st in the world) among the semifinalists of the 2026 edition. The French player, 21 years old, beat the American Tommy Paul (23rd) by 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (6) after rescuing four match points and it was one step away from the definition. He will be a rival of the Czech Jiri Lehecka (22nd) and will seek to take advantage of a decimated team after the unexpected elimination of the great candidates, including the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz.

Former world number 14, the 21-year-old from Bondoufle, who had just beaten the American Darwin Blanch (272nd), the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (51st) and the Monegasque Valentin Vacherot (25th) in the previous rounds, played in a level top ten and will dispute for first time in his career the semi-final stage in a Masters 1000 tournament, after four false steps in the quarterfinals.

The equality reigned and small details They made a difference. Both Paul and Fils did enough to win and tried to overwhelm each other with powerful and well-directed executions throughout the match. The host showed temperance in the first tie-breakerbut the French player, three-time ATP champion, did the same in the second, celebrating with euphoria to the rhythm of his noisy fans who accompanied him with enthusiasm during the almost three hours of play.

The deciding set continued in the same manner. Both firm with the serve, taking the initiative in their respective turns of serves with aggressiveness and intelligence and preventing breaks. Paul faced only one chance of breaking but it meant, at the same time, match point for Fils. The host would save that one games and would send the story to the last “penalty shootout”. The Frenchman, meanwhile, rescued six break points throughout the meeting.

With all this, came the final emotion. An outcome as exciting as the entire development. The executioner of the Argentine Tomás Etcheverry (31st) in the previous round had four points to close the task (it was 6-2), but Fils did not give up and came back heroicallywinning six consecutive goals to take over the emotional fight at the close of the day.

The European goes through a good present. His best performances of the season were the quarterfinals in Montpellier, Indian Wells and the final in Doha. Now he took another step at the Florida Open and will have a huge opportunity against Lecheka.

making history, Fils became the Youngest French semi-finalist in an ATP Masters 1000 since Richard Gasquetat 21 years old, in Paris 2007, and became the fifth representative of his country to play that round at the Miami Open after the performances of Yannick Noah, Sébastien Grosjean, Arnaud Boetsch and the aforementioned Gasquet.

All Miami Open activity can be followed LIVE on Disney+ Premium Plan.