TOKYO — Arthur Fils, who will enter the ATP Top 10 as world No. 9 this Monday, started his Japan Open campaign in the qualifying rounds. This is unusual for the Frenchman, one of the highest-ranked players in the Tokyo field. The qualifying rounds began Sept. 28.
An administrative error during registration forced Fils, the French No. 1, into qualifying for the ATP 500 event in Tokyo. This occurred despite his status as a former champion at the tournament.
Fils did not receive a wild card, despite winning the Japan Open. The three invitations went to Kei Nishikori, Sho Shimabukuro and Rei Sakamoto. Nishikori, a former world No. 4, returns to the tournament.
Following the withdrawal of world No. 4 Ben Shelton, Fils stands as the third-highest-ranked player in the Tokyo field. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, ranked No. 3, and recent U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, ranked No. 8, are the main seeds remaining.
After successfully facing the qualifying rounds, Fils, now world No. 9, has a potential second-round match against second seed Frances Tiafoe. This matchup would pit two of the tournament's top players against each other early.
The Tokyo field also includes Taylor Fritz, Rafael Jodar and Tommy Paul. Fils and Stefanos Tsitsipas both advanced from qualifying, avoiding early main draw matches against Fritz and Jodar.
This tournament marks Fils' first since an early exit from the U.S. Open. He arrived in New York after winning his first Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open. However, he suffered a first-round defeat at the U.S. Open to former world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
For a player of Fils' caliber, a former champion and new Top 10 entrant, being forced into qualifying due to an administrative error is a clear disadvantage. It creates an unnecessary hurdle for one of the sport's rising stars and prevents the tournament from showcasing its top talent directly in the main draw.
