Silly question, but how do you become one of the eight best players of the season by winning a single match at the four biggest tournaments?
Arthur Fils has qualified for the Masters in Turin. I noted that down. Then I read the rest: one match won across the four Grand Slams of 2026, and withdrawals from the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. I read it again. The number had not moved.
On the 7:32 train, I drew a table in my notebook. Left column: the most important tournaments. Right column: the wins. It made for a very empty column. And yet he is going to Turin. So other tournaments count, and a lot. Nobody had told me.
The best part is that Fils himself seems to have discovered the paradox at the same time as me. Asked about it by L’Équipe, he answered with a smile: “We should look into it, I think it’s one of the records.” Then: “I need to find out.” There are two of us finding out. I feel less alone.
The source says only Brad Gilbert, in 1989, had qualified without any Grand Slam win. So Fils is not even the strangest case. He is one win ahead of strange.
Right, it’s very simple. The Grand Slam is two weeks. The season is eleven months. I said it back in January.
I asked Jean-Pol where he had said it. He said “in spirit”.
Fils is coached by Goran Ivanisevic. He says the Masters is a childhood dream and that he hopes to play in it almost every year. At his age, well, at mine, I dreamed of understanding why 15-30-40. He is going to Turin. I asked whether you have to win a match there for it to count. I was told that there, yes. Anyway, I still have a lot to learn.
It’s true, we checked: We Love Tennis.
