The French Arthur Fils (N.48) lost Thursday in the second round of the US Open tennis against the Italian Matteo Arnaldi (N.61), winner 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 ( 7/5), 5-7, 6-4.
The young 19-year-old hopeful fought until the end, even coming back from 4-1 to 4-3 in the fifth set, to finally give in on a last service game from the Italian.
“He was very good at the important moments,” Fils commented after his match about Arnaldi.
The match was played out in “a few small details”, said the Frenchman, “things that I need to learn. Him, on the contrary, he was good in it, even though he is young too (22 years old).
Arnaldi made the difference thanks to his service, intermittent but effective when the match was played, as well as his ability to hold the rally.
“End of the fifth (set), I feel that I am a little ahead in terms of energy. But he is very good on his two service games, ”detailed the Frenchman.
A natural puncher, Fils often brought fire to his racquet, especially in the forehand, signing 57 winning shots, much more than the Italian (41).
But he also committed 41 unforced errors and lacked percussion on his second ball.
The winner of the Lyon tournament leaves New York with, in his pocket, a first match won in the Grand Slam, in the first round.
“It’s experience,” explained Fils. “I know how to approach the next Grand Slam, in Australia. I take positives from it,” he continued, even if he said he was “very disappointed”.
The one who will soon make his big debut in the Davis Cup said he did not suffer physically Thursday despite the sequence of two matches in five sets, he who had never played before.
“It was okay,” he said. “I didn’t have too much to worry about. I could have played six or seven sets.
In the third round, Arnaldi will play against Briton Cameron Norrie (N.16), who beat Taiwanese Yu Hsiou Hsu on Thursday, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
Just like Fils, Arnaldi is on the rise and currently boasts the highest ranking of his career, despite being three years older than the Frenchman.
