Fils ends France’s 12-year Masters 1000 drought with Cincinnati triumph

Arthur Fils has secured his first ATP Masters 1000 title by defeating home favourite Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 6-0 in the Cincinnati Open final. The victory marks a significant milestone for French tennis, ending a 12-year wait for a national winner at this level of the professional tour.

The match, described as historic for being the first Masters 1000 final contested between two Black players, saw Fils overcome a mid-match setback to claim the trophy. Fils, who is 22, became the third Black man to win a Masters 1000 title, following Ben Shelton and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Fils established early control in the opening set, breaking serve to build a 3-0 lead before closing it out with three successive aces. Tiafoe, playing in his second Cincinnati final, responded with a dominant second set, breaking Fils twice to force a decider.

In the final set, Fils regained his composure, breaking Tiafoe twice to race to a 4-0 lead. The Frenchman’s pace and movement proved decisive as he closed out the match with a bagel final set, recording a 32-10 win-loss record for the year.

The result has significant implications for the upcoming season, with Fils moving up eight spots to fifth in the ATP Live Race To Turin. The win follows his victory at the Barcelona Open in April and positions him as a strong contender ahead of the US Open, which is scheduled to begin on 30 August.

Speaking after the match, Fils acknowledged the physical and mental demands of his journey to the title. “There’s a lot of training, a lot of sacrifice. Injury. To be able to win a title like this, it means a lot to me,” he said.