One Point Can Alter A Career

At the Orange Bowl in December, Arthur Fils, a sixteen year old from France, was down match point in the first round but managed to turn the tables on the American player and eventually won 36 75 62. Fils proceeded to win the prestigious Orange Bowl.

After his big triumph, Fils played one more ITF junior event and reached the semis, before deciding to graduate to playing ITF pro tournaments in Europe. Fils won some qualification matches and main draw matches, enough to earn an ATP ranking of 1034 and a wildcard into the qualies of Roland Garros this week. Fils opponent in the first round was veteran 28-year old Aussie Bernard Tomic who is currently ranked 213.

Fils shocked Tomic with a stunning 67 76 63 win but then lost in the next round of qualies to another Aussie Marc Polmans.

If Fils had not saved that first round match point at the Orange Bowl five months ago, you have to wonder where he would be right now. The confidence gained from the Orange Bowl performances have sparked this professional success and put him in position to become a major #NextGen prospect like Carlos Alcazar, who just turned 18. Fils will turn 17 next month.

As for the American player who had the match point on Fils in the Orange Bowl, he has not enjoyed the same post Orange Bowl success as Fils. He’s played some UTR tournaments in Florida but with minimal success. He also played the Easter Bowl and lost first round 62 64. Currently he is playing high school matches for his team in northern NJ and working and training for a scholarship and education from a top NCAA university.

But had he won that match point and defeated Fils in December, not even the tennis gods could predict how each of their journeys would have played out differently in the ensuing six months and twelve months, and beyond.

ATP · Orange Bowl · Roland Garros

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