Indian Wells: Fils upsets Auger-Aliassime
Arthur Fils upset Felix Auger-Aliassime at Indian Wells, reaching the quarterfinals and marking a breakthrough for the young French player.
Fils, currently ranked No. 32, defeated Auger-Aliassime in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(9). This victory marked Fils' ninth win of the season. He is set to face either Alexander Zverev or Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals. The match was a rematch of their recent quarterfinal clash at the ATP 250 in Montpellier, where Auger-Aliassime had won. Fils avenged that loss, demonstrating his resilience by saving five set points in the second-set tie-break. Fils is seeking his first Masters 1000 semifinal appearance. Fils has been steadily recovering from a back injury he sustained last year at Roland Garros. This will be Fils' fourth quarterfinal in a Masters 1000 tournament. He reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo in 2025. Auger-Aliassime, seeded ninth, struggled to convert break points in the second set, capitalizing on only one of four opportunities. Fils won a high percentage of his service points, particularly in the first set, where he won 83% and faced no break points. Auger-Aliassime is the world No. 9. Fils is the last French player remaining in the Indian Wells singles draw. This is Fils' second consecutive year reaching the Indian Wells quarter-finals.
