Arthur Fils tips himself among 'swaggiest' Big Four of ATP Tour

The Frenchman certainly got off to a flying start at the ATP Masters 1000 event Monday. Fils dropped just two games to dispatch lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann, even channeling countryman Gael Monfils with a jumping smash.

“I did it for Gael,” the exuberant 19-year-old told Prakash Amritraj.

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Eleven months ago, Fils celebrated his maiden ATP title on home soil in Lyon.

With that win, Fils became the youngest Frenchman to win a match in Monte Carlo since an 18-year-old Richard Gasquet upset Roger Federer in 2005.

“It’s not the same win,” laughed Fils. “But I’m really happy about it.”

Ranked two spots off his career-high mark of No. 34, Fils will feature in a second-round contest full of flashy shot-making when he takes on Lorenzo Musetti Tuesday. Asked by Amritraj to list off the ‘swaggiest’ players on tour, Fils came up with his own version of the Big Four.

“Ben Shelton, Big Foe, myself and of course, Gael. There is the four.”

The two Americans are absent from Monte Carlo after contesting the Houstin final over the weekend, won by Shelton. Monfils was on Court des Princes against Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic, with Fils and Musetti set to follow.

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