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Arthur Fils has been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime by tennis legend Rafael Nadal. The 19-year-old is one of the rising stars on the ATP Tour and the Frenchman is currently the same age as the Spaniard when he captured his first Grand Slam in 2005.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Nadal is aiming to ramp up his practice sessions in the buildup to his long-awaited return to competition at the Brisbane International in January. The teenager may help him achieve that and Fils has a chance to learn from the 22-time major winner, who has invited the youngster to train with him for a week.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe very kindly invited me,\u201d the World No. 36 told French sports newspaper L\u2019Equipe. \u201cI\u2019m going to give it my all. I\u2019m going to try not to get too carried away on his forehand (smiles). I\u2019m going to get the most out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taking inspiration from Nadal\u2019s game, Fils added: \u201cMy idol was Roger, but the more we grow up, the more we appreciate watching Rafa play, his fighting spirit, his game.\u201d Nadal posted a video on his social media platforms announcing he would be coming back to the tour after a year out with a hip issue.<\/p>\n
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He injured his hip in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open and with little signs of progress regarding a recovery, Nadal had surgery to fix the problem in June. Now ready to return for what will likely be the final season of his illustrious career, the former World No. 1 said: “After a year away from competition, it’s time to come back.<\/p>\n
“It will be in Brisbane, the first week of January. I’ll see you there.” Fils, beaten in the NextGen final by\u00a0Hamad Medjedovic on Saturday, went on to suggest he would relish the chance to take on the 14-time French Open champion at Roland Garros next summer and hinted that he would love to hand the icon just his fourth loss on the hallowed clay courts in the French capital.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe not in the first round, but if I can play him in the final at Roland Garros, that suits me. If, at the age of 19, I can stop him in Roland, that would be nice,\u201d he stated. Fils, who was the first player born in 2004 to reach a quarter-final on the ATP Tour, is currently competing in the final of the Next Gen ATP Finals.<\/p>\n
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