MONTPELLIER/WASHINGTON, February 4, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
By all metrics, France’s Arthur Fils made a successful return to the ATP Tour at the Open Occitanie indoor hard-court event in Montpellier Tuesday evening. He gave French fans a dynamic performance that was both energetic and rewarding. It was a win-win night for everyone.
Playing his first tour-level match in 185 days, since losing a tough three-setter to Jiri Lehecka of Czechia in the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 in Toronto, the 21-year-old Fils came on strong to gut out a 7-6 (7), 6-7 (4), 6-2 victory over fellow Frenchman, 56th-ranked Valentin Royer that stretched just beyond two-and-a-half hours on Court Patrice Dominguez. It took place in front of a passionate crowd, which included his cheering father, inside Sud de France Arena.
King Arthur
Arthur Fils returns from injury, defeating Valentin Royer to secure his first win in 7 months!#OpenOccitanie26 pic.twitter.com/L0eNKpxkSi
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 3, 2026
During his first-round match against Royer, the charismatic Fils saved a set point in the opener, then rallied in the final set by breaking his opponent’s serve twice – in the third and fifth games. Fils garnered his 84th career win going away – and it was his first tour-level victory since last July. It was a long time coming for the proud Frenchman from Bondoufle, near Paris.
“It was a tough match. [Valentin] is a great opponent and he put me under pressure,” said Fils, who is 1-0 in the new season after going 22-12 in 2025. “I was running a lot and my legs feel it now, but I am very happy to win. It has been a long time out of the court and [to have] an atmosphere like this was [amazing].”
Things you love to see ❤️
Arthur Fils is back playing tennis! #OpenOccitanie26 pic.twitter.com/B7zeiBJy7i
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 3, 2026
Looking back on his return to the ATP Tour, physically Fils looked fit. He even sported a new look that was a throwback to mid-1970s Arthur Ashe, replete with a big Afro hairdo. Tennis-wise, it’s as if the World No. 42 had not been away for six months, since August 1, 2025 in Toronto, while recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back (L5 vertabra). The severity of his injury and recovery from it forced Fils to miss the 2025 US Open and this year’s Australian Open.
“At the end of the first set I felt pretty good,” Fils said in his on-court interview. “Then the second set started and I felt a bit worse, but I finished very strongly.”
ARTHUR FILS REMPORTE LA BATAILLE DU 1ER SET ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/FpaRSr0wDz
— Open Occitanie (@OpenOccitanie) February 3, 2026
After reaching the Montpellier semifinals in 2023 – and winning for the fourth time in five career matches in southern France – Fils will play 174th-ranked French lucky loser Ugo Blanchet in the second round on Thursday. A possible quarterfinal opponent is the tournament’s top seed and defending champion, World No. 8 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Fils isn’t – he’s taking it one match at a time. The former Top-20 star is just excited to be back.
“I had so much fun. I was talking to my box,” Fils said. “I am enjoying this. It has been a long time.”
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