Fils defeats Zverev and reaches his first Miami quarterfinal!

Arthur Fils was relentless in overcoming Alexander Zverev (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) this Wednesday in the round of 16 at the Miami Masters 1000.

The match, originally scheduled for yesterday, was postponed due to rain. An extra day of rest proved beneficial for Fils, who was coming off a nearly three-hour battle against Tiafoe in the third round.

However, the Frenchman got off to a rough start, dropping the first set and taking a medical timeout for back treatment. Despite physical discomfort, he regrouped to push the match into a third set, just like in their three encounters last year.

Though he fell behind early in the third set, Fils made the difference with his determination and aggression, winning five of the next six games to secure victory.

After reaching the quarterfinals in Indian Wells, the world No. 18 continues his run in Miami with another quarterfinal, a feat not achieved by a Frenchman since Gaël Monfils in 2016.

He also became the second French player to eliminate the top seed in Florida, following in the footsteps of his former coach Sébastien Grosjean in 1999 (against Carlos Moya).

Fils will play tomorrow for a spot in the semifinals against Jakub Mensik.