Arthur Fils qualifies for the ATP Finals in Turin, first Frenchman since Monfils in 2016

The place was almost his already; now it is official. Quentin Halys sealed it on Wednesday by beating Frances Tiafoe, eighth in the Race, in a third-set tie-break, saving four match points according to We Love Tennis. Arthur Fils will play the ATP Finals in Turin from 15 to 22 November: he is the tenth Frenchman to reach the Masters, the first since Gaël Monfils in 2016.

A Masters place built away from the Slams

The season behind it raises eyebrows. Injuries kept Fils out of the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and he never found his tennis at Wimbledon or the US Open. According to the Jeu, Set et Maths account, quoted by We Love Tennis, he is the first player to reach the Masters with fewer than two Grand Slam match wins in a season since Brad Gilbert in 1989.

A week of farewells in Paris

The news landed in the middle of a farewell week. On Tuesday evening, after Ben Shelton’s win, the centre court of the Rolex Paris Masters celebrated Gaël Monfils. “It is going to be a very big moment. He loved playing at Bercy,” said Justine Henin, who works as a pundit for Eurosport. Fils had paid tribute to Monfils before the ceremony: “Outside the Top 3 or the Top 4, he has probably been one of the best-known players in the world. Even without a Grand Slam title, he remains one of the great icons of tennis.”

What it changes for Fils vs Machac

Fils plays Tomas Machac, who beat Kenny Jacquet on Monday, on Wednesday evening. At 1.55 with Betway on Wednesday morning, his odds give him about three chances in five, up from an opening 1.49. Turin is secured; Paris still has to be played in front of a home crowd, eleven days before the Finals. Our Fils vs Machac preview covers the form of both players and the fitness doubts around the Frenchman since his withdrawal in Basel; the pick there is Machac +2.5 games at 2.07 with Unibet. 18+. Only bet what you can afford to lose.