"Bro I would dust you" - Ben Shelton, Gael Monfils and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina react to Arthur Fils challenging them to a race
Arthur Fils overcame Dominic Striker in the group stage of the 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah on Thursday, November 30. Both players will, however, advance to the semifinals of the year-end event for players aged 21 or below.
The Frenchman had already qualified for the semifinals before the match. Stricker needed only set to qualify, which he did as the match ended 4-2, 3-4(3), 4-2, 4-3(5) in Fils' favor.
Arthur Fils later took to Instagram to share a point from the match that showcased his athleticism and speed. The video showed Fils running to one end of the baseline in response to a shot from Stricker. The Swiss then angled the ball to the other end, but Fils came up with a lightning-fast response and reached that too. Stricker hit the ball to the other extreme again, only for Fils to run back and win the point.
The Frenchman tagged Alexander Davidovich Fokina, Ben Shelton and Gael Monfils in the video, and extended a mock challenge.
"Race guys?" Arthur Fils wrote.
Unfazed by the challenge, Ben Shelton sent a gust of wind and a laugh-till-cry emoji and wrote:
"Bro I would dust you," Shelton joked.
Appreciating his compatriot's skills and accepting the challenge, Gael Monfils responded with fire and high-five emojis. Davidovich Fokina, meanwhile, accepted the challenge with a friendly warning.
"Not bad but not in enough to race me. still an amazing shot," Davidovich Fokina reacted.
Arthur Fils set to clash with Luca Van Assche in the semifinals of Next Gen ATP Finals
In a battle of two Frenchmen, Arthur Fils will clash with Luca Van Assche in the semifinals of the 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals on Friday, December 1.
Fils clinched his maiden title at the Lyon Open this season and is at his career-high ranking of No. 36. He goes into the semis as the winner of the Green group with a perfect 3-0 record.
The Frenchman overcame Luca Nardi, Flavio Cobolli, and third seed Dominic Striker in the round-robin stage.
Van Assche, meanwhile, won the Red group with a 2-1 record, having defeated Abedalla Shelbayh Hamad Medjedovic and Alex Michelsen.
This will be the first on-court encounter between the two players.