Facing the 70th player in the world, the Francilien, who ranks 163rd at the ATP, only needed two sets (7-6, 6-3) to join the last four and become the youngest French player to reach a semi-final on the circuit since Richard Gasquet - it was in Metz, in 2004, the year of his birth.

On Saturday, Arthur Fils, who had already created a surprise this week by eliminating … Richard Gasquet then the Spaniard Roberto Bautista, will face an Italian: Lorenzo Sonego or Jannik Sinner, 17th player in the world and seeded N.2.

Against Halys, and as since the beginning of the week, he was very solid, especially in the decisive game of the first set, during which he quickly took the lead.

With confidence, he started the second set with a bang, winning 15 points in a row, which allowed him to make the first break of the match.

Efficient in service and author of several winning shots, the winner of the Orange Bowl 2020 and finalist of Roland-Garros juniors in 2021 missed two first match points on opposing service, before concluding on his face-off, after 1h23.

Thanks to this performance, Arthur Fils is guaranteed to gain more than 40 places at the ATP, and thus to become the best placed among the players of the 2004 generation.

This course in the Hérault confirms its good start to the season, with only one defeat in 13 games.

After winning the title in Oeiras, Portugal, and reaching the final in Quimper - two challenger tournaments - the native of Essonne received an invitation to Montpellier.

This is indeed his second participation in the final draw of an ATP tournament, after a match lost in the first round of the Masters 1000 in Paris against the Italian Fabio Fognini last fall.

On Monday, Arthur Fils began his career with a victory in two sets (7-5, 7-5) against the former great hope of French tennis, Richard Gasquet, three times winner of the Open Sud de France.

This 1.85m right-hander with a big ball shot then won his best career victory by dominating Roberto Bautista (6-3 6-4), 24th player in the world and seeded N.4 on Wednesday.

In the other part of the table, the seeded N.1, the Norwegian Holger Rune (N.9 worldwide) faces Friday evening in the quarter-finals the French Grégoire Barrère (N.75).

© 2023 AFP