At some point, should Arthur Fils truly ascend to being one of the top players on the ATP tour, he needs to easily rise above those players lower-ranked than he is. Fils plays with his food too much, is far too inconsistent, and hasn't yet found himself, even though he has immense skill.
The above was on full display in the first round of the Barcelona Open when Fils took on fellow Frenchman, Terence Atmane. Atmane isn't a bad player, and though he has risen to No. 41, the 24-year-old only has a career record of 18-28, and even has a losing record in 2026.
There is a reason for this: He doesn't have any part of his game that is elite. He battles through matches, trying to win with menace and consistency, and finds his way home nearly half the time. But he isn't Fils, who has a massive serve and forehand, and should be far more successful at 21 years old than his three titles imply.
Arthur Fils defeats Terence Atmane at the 2026 Barcelona Open
With consistency and the ability to use a lot more touch and do so more consistently, he could be a mainstay in the top 10.
Yet, in the first set of their Barcelona match, Fils allowed Atmane to match him, winner by winner, and then outplayed him late in the set to earn a 6-4 victory. What Fils, the No. 30, who has a career-high of 14, was lacking is the kind of repetitive, bombastic forehand that keeps him from winning other matches he should.
Still, he is a young player, and even Jannik Sinner didn't truly find himself until around the same age. Fils doesn't move as well as the Italian (few do), but his offensive prowess is enough to keep players off-balance. Once he masters consistency, he will be dangerous, as long as he learns to return much better. He also needs to be a bit more patient in building points.
He did this in the second set when it mattered most. Leading 5-4 and with Atmane serving, Fils jumped out to a lead, and then pushed Atmane to the point of breaking by hitting the ball deep, and Atmane desperately tried to keep points alive. He couldn't and Fils even the match at a set apiece.
In the third set, each traded holds with ease until Atmane got a break to lead 4-3 on serve. Fils then broke right back to even the set. The two went back to trading serves again until Atmane needed to hold to force a tie-break, which he was able to do after beginning 30-all.
Arthur Fils began the tie-break with a double fault, but got the mini-break back on the next point. He then got a mini-break of his own on the next point to lead 2-1 and on serve for the next two points. As neither player could take control of the match at any point, though, the trend carried over to the tie-break.
Terence Atmane was able to get back to even and then serve for the lead at 6-5. Atmane had a chance to take the match, but mishit a forehand, and Fils was back to 6-all, after which Fils hit a forehand into the net for an unforced, and inexcusable, error. Atmane returned the favor, and tennis fans watching might have wondered if either player truly wanted to win the match.
Atmane then couldn't win his next service point, either, and Fils held to take the tie-break 8-6. Should Fils have won more easily? Likely.
Arthur Fils will next face American Brandon Nakashima in the second round. Nakashima defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the first round, an impressive victory for Nakashima on the clay courts of Barcelona. The American had a losing record on the surface entering the Barcelona Open.
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