Positive update on Arthur Fils emerges after withdrawal from Basel Open as ATP Finals bid continues

Originally posted on The Tennis Gazette By Cameron Greenlees | Last updated Nov 1, 2026 7:00 AM ET

Arthur Fils was forced to retire from his quarterfinal clash with Taylor Fritz at the Basel Open on Friday due to injury.

The 22-year-old Frenchman called a halt to the contest with Fritz when trailing 6-2, 2-0, and later revealed that he felt pain in his leg. Fils‘ injury came just a week before he was scheduled to play at his home ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris.

Ahead of the tournament in the French capital, positive news emerged around world number eight Fils.

As per Eric Salliot, Fils booked a short training session at the Paris Masters in an attempt to prepare himself physically for the event. As it stands, Fils is set to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time in his career.

Fils is currently sixth in the race to Turin with 3,525 live points to his name, but is not officially qualified for the year-end competition just yet. Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton and Daniil Medvedev are the four players who have confirmed their spot in Turin.

Fils, Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe, Alex de Minaur, Rafael Jodar, Novak Djokovic, Fritz, Tommy Paul and Jiri Lehecka are battling it out for the remaining four spots. Djokovic is bidding to make his 17th appearance at the ATP Finals.

Along with Cobolli and Tiafoe, Fils is set to be among the ATP Finals debutants. Jodar would also be making his ATP Finals debut, but fell outside the top eight in the race to Turin recently after De Minaur’s lengthy run at the Vienna Open.

Fils is close to confirming ATP Finals qualification, but ideally needs to compete at the Paris Masters to avoid dropping out of the top eight. Fils has made three appearances at the Paris Masters in his career, but has never made it past the third round.