Fils: 'I'm Missing Almost Everything to Compete' After Alcaraz Rout in Doha Final

Fils Overpowered by Unplayable Alcaraz in Doha Final, Admits 'Another Level' Post-Match

© KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 22/02/2026 à 08h28

2 min to read

Alcaraz Carlos Doha Fils Arthur

Arthur Fils contested the ATP 500 Doha final on Saturday evening. Returning to the tour at the start of the season after long months sidelined by a back injury, the Frenchman had posted strong performances against Majchrzak, Halys, Lehecka and Mensik.

However, the Frenchman suffered a heavy defeat in the final against an almost unplayable Carlos Alcaraz (6-2, 6-1 in 51 minutes). The Spaniard suffocated his opponent, who managed just 3 winners.

“He’s world No. 1, he hasn’t lost a match since the start of the year”

Speaking at his post-match press conference after the final loss, the player who will return to world No. 33 on Monday with the new ATP rankings was clear-eyed. The 21-year-old acknowledged he still has work to do to reach the level of the world's best.

“The goal is to stay positive. Reaching a final after eight months off feels good. Today (Saturday), it was a bit more complicated—actually, much more complicated.

These things happen and you have to move forward. I didn’t play as well as I did this week. But he’s world No. 1, he hasn’t lost a match since the start of the year—you can see why.

“It’s another level and I’m not there yet”

Right now, it’s another level and I’m not there yet—not at all. Anyway, I need to keep working, but for now, I’m nowhere near. He’s playing very, very well and I have nothing to say.

I’m missing almost everything to compete with a player like that. It was fast; from the start, he put a ton of pressure on me and played great—it was tough. These things happen. I’ll need to review the match and see how it went,” Fils told L'Équipe.