Arthur Fils has completed the ”Sunshine Double’ quarter-finals! The young Frenchman faced the top seed and world no. 2 Alexander Zverev in the fourth round at the Miami Open and prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours for a place in the last eight.
The Frenchman bounced back from a set down, overcoming lower back injury and emerging at the top for a notable victory. Arthur defeated Alexander for the second time in five duels and almost crushed his dreams of becoming world no. 1 before May.
Zverev now has to win Monte Carlo, Munich and Madrid to dethrone Jannik Sinner before the Italian’s return. Based on the German’s form, that will almost certainly not happen.
📊 Depuis le début de la saison 2022, Alexander Zverev 🇩🇪 n’a perdu que 2 des 16 matchs qu’il a disputés face à des joueurs français. Ses adversaires ?
🇫🇷 Arthur Fils (Hambourg 2024)
🇫🇷 Arthur Fils (Miami 2025)pic.twitter.com/7PYNn5TrFr— Jeu, Set et Maths (@JeuSetMaths) March 26, 2025
They were equally efficient behind the first serve, and Fils made the difference behind the second. The younger player dropped serve two times and provided three breaks from five opportunities. Zverev hit 11 service winners more than his rival, and Fils erased that deficit at the net.
Arthur attacked and landed 25 winners and 35 unforced errors. Alexander stayed on 13 winners and sprayed 26 mistakes, struggling to provide his A-game and suffering another early exit. They kicked off the action with seven fine holds.
Arthur Fils, Miami Open 2025© Stream screenshot
Zverev held at 30 for 4-3 and made a push on the return in the next one. The top seed welcomed the rival’s backhand error and created two break points. He converted the first after Arthur’s loose forehand, moving 5-3 up and serving for the opener.
The German saved a break point before wasting a set point. He mirrored that in the upcoming minutes before seizing the third set point with an ace down the T line for 6-3 in 43 minutes. Fils stepped and provided five comfortable holds in the second set.
Alexander Zverev, Miami Open 2025© Stream screenshot
The young gun clinched a break at 15 in the second game for an early advantage. The Frenchman held at love in the third game with a service winner and landed an ace two games later for a 4-1 lead. Arthur secured another fine hold in game seven and served for the set at 5-3.
Fils painted a forehand crosscourt winner in the ninth game, taking the set 6-3 and introducing a decider after an hour and 17 minutes. They served well in the opening three games, and Alexander changed that at 2-1. He attacked and drew the rival’s mistake for a break and the advantage.
Arthur Fils, Miami Open 2025© Stream screenshot
Instead of building on that, world no. 2 played a terrible forehand in game five, losing serve and bringing his opponent back to the positive side. Arthur landed a service winner in game six to lock the result at 3-3 and gained a boost.
Zverev missed another forehand in the seventh game, dropping serve for the second straight time and finding himself 4-3 behind. The Frenchman cemented the advantage with a powerful serve in game eight and served for the win at 5-4.
Fils claimed an entertaining rally at 30-15 and created two match points. He drew Zverev’s mistake on the first, moving over the top and reaching the last eight.
Tennis World USA