Arthur Fils has confirmed that his new coaching partnership with Goran Ivanisevic is set to continue – even though the Croat wasn’t in his box during his run to the Miami Open semi-finals. Fils returned from a lengthy injury layoff last month and started a trial partnership with Ivanisevic, who previously guided Novak Djokovic to 12 of his 24 Grand Slam titles. They enjoyed instant success when Fils finished runner-up in Doha, but Ivanisevic was absent for the ‘Sunshine Double’ in Indian Wells and Miami.

In Miami, Fils reached a maiden Masters 1000 semi-final, where he lost to Jiri Lehecka. The world No. 31 has now confirmed that Ivanisevic remains part of his team and will be back for the clay season, where he will continue to share duties with Fils’ other coach, Ivan Cinkus.

“Goran is going to come on the clay court swing. He’s going to come to Monaco, and we’re going to practice, and Ivan is going to come back, I think, in Rome. I don’t exactly remember the schedule,” the 21-year-old explained.

“Yeah, we’re going to have a couple of weeks. I’m going to have a couple of weeks with both of them. We are going to have some weeks with Goran, some weeks with Ivan. But yeah, everything is fine.”

Fils reached three successive Masters quarter-finals last year in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, peaking at No. 14 in the world. But a back injury derailed his season, forcing him to withdraw from the French Open. He made a short-lived comeback attempt at the Canadian Open in July, but otherwise didn’t play again until last month.

And the French star was delighted to break new ground at Masters 1000 level so soon into his comeback. “I would have signed [to reach the semi-finals] for sure. Of course, it’s been a tough journey,” he added.

“I have to see the positives. I’m very happy with what we have done with the team for a couple of months now, I think we did some great job. Of course, today, it was not the day, but it happens. Some days, [it] is what it is. I’m looking forward to playing the clay court swing now.”

With Ivanisevic in his corner, the clay swing will be an exciting time for Fils. The 54-year-old was in Djokovic’s corner for two French Open title runs in 2021 and 2023. A former Wimbledon champion himself, Ivanisevic mutually parted ways with Djokovic in March 2024.

Since then, he has had brief coaching stints with Elena Rybakina and Stefanos Tsitsipas. But Fils sounds keen to form a long-term partnership with Ivanisevic. Speaking in Doha last month, Fils said: “He knows very good also my other coach, Ivan Cinkus. So the connection was pretty easy. Ivan told me that Goran could help me, that he has a lot of experience, he has some free time now. So we just talk a little bit, and we decide to take a shot, you know, to try.”

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