Arthur Fils lost out in the final of the Next Gen Finals to Hamad Medjedovic in another iteration of the season ender which sees new rules trialled out.
An innovation of this tournament aims to make points shorter and shorter sets to keep fans engaged. This means it is first to four instead of first to 6 or 7 like usual. It also means longer breaks though between sets and Fils was not a fan of that.
All will be good though with Fils who heads to Kuwait to train with Rafael Nadal over the next week to help him prepare for his comeback in January.
"It's a very wrong rule," said the Frenchman in an interview with l'Equipe.
"If you want things to go faster, you don't need 10 minute breaks between one set and another. It's the regulation, so we have to put up with it. We stopped for about eight or ten minutes between the first and second sets, and then between the fourth and fifth.
"That's how it works. When he came back on the court, I was inside. I don't know if he wanted to break my rhythm or get back into the game. It may not be against me and I have no problem with it, but the rule is terrible. It's really stupid that this could happen here.
"I lost my rhythm a bit, after two intense tie-breaks, it's not easy to get back to playing the next point ten minutes later. I think this helped him. He didn't necessarily do it to harm me, in the end he respected the rules. In a Grand Slam, if you win 7-6 in the first set, an hour of play, it's normal, but here it's something you should be able to stop, it's really stupid."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Vacherot is Mongasque, rather than Swiss. The tournament was Swiss :DTrwd7702-11-2026
- After a couple decades traveling to IIHF tourneys overseas... our family is done with it... and I will not be the only one!! Bad enough the NHL allows Ovachenko (a Putin Supporter and Campaigner) to live and play in the USA. Let's not forget the STATE SPONSORED RUSSIAN DOPING PROGRAMS still in effect today.
mandoist31-10-2026 - Osaka's mental state apparently does not allow her to reach any more Quarter Finals? I mean, she doesn't really have the time for tennis with all the pre-planning that must go into her 12 year-old "fashion" goals.mandoist29-10-2026
- With her money one would think she could afford a better team of Psychiatrists?mandoist29-10-2026
- Boss move, Sinner !Rapunzel27-10-2026
- Apparently still refusing to seek 'help' ...and still playing Dress-Up like a 10 year-old.mandoist27-10-2026
- Lena... Takin' care of businessmandoist25-10-2026
- Can you please stop publishing this nonsense? Stick to Tennis.mandoist25-10-2026
- Does Sinner need that 4.5 mil? I doubt it. He can make that with three modelling gigs!😅🤣Rapunzel21-10-2026
- Did "People Magazine" purchase this website? This nonstop storyline is bullshit.mandoist21-10-2026
