French tennis heartbreak: Arthur Fils withdraws from Roland Garros 2025 due to injury

Arthur Fils' Roland Garros journey came to an abrupt end on Friday night when world No. 14 withdrew from the tournament due to back problems, dealing a crushing blow to French tennis hopes and handing Andrey Rublev a walkover into the fourth round.

Fils was scheduled to face No. 17 seed Andrey Rublev on Saturday in what promised to be an exciting and competitive third-round encounter in the French Open. However, the back issues that plagued him during Thursday's marathon match against Jaume Munar proved too severe to continue, with the player admitting post-match that he had been dealing with back problems for some time now.

After a grueling victory against Munar, the French confessed to be “a bit tired,” acknowledging his back problems:

"The back a bit," Fils said of what was bothering him. "Got some issue with the back, but that's since I'm young, so I'm used to [it]. And also the cramps. A bit of everything. The mix was not very good."

The injury setback continues a pattern of physical challenges for Fils, who previously withdrew from tournaments in Marseille and Doha earlier this year due to similar issues. Despite his disappointment, the young player's resilience and fighting spirit during his five-set victory over Munar demonstrated the qualities that make him one of French tennis's brightest prospects for the future.