Arthur Fils set to commence intriguing partnership with Djokovic's former coach Goran Ivanisevic
ATPWednesday, 18 February 2026 at 20:00
Arthur Fils has already made an impression since stepping back onto the court after a time on the sidelines. The talking has since gone onto off the court news about the Frenchman with him recruiting Goran Ivanisevic into his ranks.
The former world number two has built up an incredible reputation as a coach over the years when he worked with Novak Djokovic. It was a flourishing partnership that lasted from 2019 to 2024. He oversaw the Serbian win 12 Grand Slam titles and cement his name in tennis folklore.
Before that he coached Marin Cilic for three years, watching him lift his only Grand Slam title at the 2014 US Open. He then had stints with Tomas Berdych and Milos Raonic ahead of his time with Djokovic. He then endured very brief stints with Elena Rybakina and Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2025. leaving in a blaze after heavily criticising the Greek with his poor form and slide down the rankings continuing.
He has now got his first coaching job since then, as he is set to work his magic on the extremely exciting talent that is Fils. The 21-year-old really made an impact last year, breaking out onto the main stage with some terrific results.
He reached three consecutive Masters 1000 quarterfinals. The first two came in the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open before being defeated at that same stage in the Monte Carlo Masters. On two occasions the man to take him down was Carlos Alcaraz. He then played at Roland Garros before eventually withdrawing due to a lower back injury. He attempted to make a return to the sport at the start of the North American hardcourt swing but this turned out to be rather premature with the rest of 2025 seeing him sit on the sidelines with the opportunity of continuing to progress up the rankings halted for the time being.
Fils promising start to 2026
Under Ivanisevic, Fils will be hoping to go to the next level. Already the signs have been promising. He was forced to miss the Australian swing after his injury did not heal in time but he was ready to compete in the Open Occitanie. A return to tennis on home soil was a perfect way to get back into the action. He took down Valentin Royer and Ugo Blanchet before losing out to the eventual champion Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Arthur Fils competing in the 2025 Miami Open
It was a much earlier exit in the ABN AMRO Open. He lost out in his opening match in Rotterdam again to the person who would go on and win the title. This time it was Alex de Minaur who is in electric form on the court. Now in Doha, Fils is competing in the Qatar Open as he looks to go deep in the tournament. Wins over Kamil Majchrzak and Quentin Halys is a positive start, with his next task coming against Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals. Ivanisevic has been closely monitoring his progress and was in his box for the win over Halys.
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