The French Arthur Fils (20th in the world) relaunched at the ATP Next Gen Finals by winning Thursday in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) against the Czech Jakub Mensik (48th), while Luca Van Assche (128th) won is bowed against the American Alex Michelsen (41st). Beaten from the start on Wednesday by the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (145th) in five sets, the French n°2 had to win in order to hope to reach the last four of a tournament where the first player to win four games pockets the set (tie -break in case of tie at 3-3).
After saving two break points and pocketing the first set, the outgoing finalist of the tournament bringing together the eight best players under 21 of the year did not hang around to win in three sets 4-2, 4- 3 (7-4), 4-2. Although he was scared in the tie-break of the second set after leading 5-0, Arthur Fils immediately won his opponent’s service in the third set to win in 1h19 of play.
With a victory in two matches, Fils will play his qualification on Friday against the American Learner Tien (122nd) just like the other Frenchman entered in this tournament, Luca Van Assche (128th in the world), who will challenge another American, Nishesh Basavareddy ( 138e).
Luca Van Assche must win this Friday
After winning on Wednesday, Luca Van Assche lost his second group match on Thursday against Alex Michelsen, qualified thanks to this success for the last four. Michelsen, winner 1-4, 4-2, 4-3 (8/6), 4-3 (7-5), takes his revenge on the Frenchman, who beat him in five sets in 2023 at the Next Gen Finals .
Well entered the game with two breaks which allowed him to easily pocket the first set 4-1, Van Assche (20 years old) conceded his throw-in at the start of the second and began to commit more unforced errors , ultimately losing the set 4-2. The last two sets, which were tighter, ended in a tie-break, an exercise where the American proved superior each time despite three set points for Van Assche in the third set.
