Fils retires after 22 minutes in Rome opener against wild-card Pellegrino

May 9, 2026

Arthur Fils (No 15) walked off Court Pietrangeli after 22 minutes and four games, struggling with what appeared to be a physical issue against Italian wild card Andrea Pellegrino (No 155) — the third round goes to the home player without a single completed set. The Frenchman, fresh from a Madrid semi-final last week and projected to meet Jannik Sinner in the round of 16, leaves Rome before he could really arrive.

Arthur Fils and Arturo Pellegrino | © Tennis Majors / Alice Jacquesa

French No. 15 seed Arthur Fils retired from his second-round match at the Rome ATP Masters 1000 trailing Italian qualifier Andrea Pellegrino 0-4 after just 22 minutes on court, the world No. 17 visibly hampered by a hip issue and unable to continue.

Fils had struggled with his movement from the opening exchanges and called for a medical timeout at 0-3. He returned to the court briefly, lost the next game, and shook hands with Pellegrino before reaching the changeover. The 21-year-old Frenchman, a Madrid Open semi-finalist last week and a Barcelona champion this clay season, was projected to face Jannik Sinner in the round of 16.

I just couldn’t take any risks before Roland-Garros. That’s all the information I can give for now.

“I felt pain in my hip in the second game”, he said, as reported by L’Equipe. I tried everything during the match. I called the physio to try to treat it, but it didn’t work. Unfortunately, I had to stop shortly after. These things happen. I’ll do some treatment, I’ll speak with my team, and we’ll make decisions. I just couldn’t take any risks before Roland-Garros. That’s all the information I can give for now.”

Pellegrino, the world No. 155 and a wild card who beat fellow Italian Luca Nardi in his Rome opener for his first ATP Masters 1000 main-draw win, advances to the third round of a Masters event for the first time. He will face Frances Tiafoe (20).