It was the 2023 Paris Masters. Novak Djokovic was up against Tallon Griekspoor in a thrilling match in front of a packed home crowd. However, when the Serb made a mistake in the third set, the French fans turned nasty and started booing Djokovic. The atmosphere turned hostile and the Serb had to dig deep to overcome the challenge of Griekspoor. Well, that wasn’t the only instance where the French fans strongly supported the local star. Even Arthur Fils admitted to drawing energy from home fans yesterday.

Fils is currently playing in the Paris Masters where he has made it to the round of 16. Yesterday, he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the tournament. During a post-match interview, he revealed how he took inspiration from an aggressive French crowd to boost himself.

The incident occurred during his electrifying first-round encounter against Marin Cilic. The two were involved in a close first set which went into the tiebreaker. In the fourth point of the tiebreaker, Fils won a rally that looked like he had almost lost and subsequently erupted in jubilation. Further, Fils asked the French crowd to boost his morale as he looked to win the opening set.

When he was asked about it later, Fils said, “I don’t think about the fact that it could be the last match. It’s an incredible tournament, but at La Defense, it will be a great atmosphere as well, and it’s a pleasure playing here. Two years ago I managed to go through the qualifications. Last year I lost early, but if I play for Bercy, may it be here or for the French Open or at La Defense, it’s in France and it’s great.”

Interestingly, this is the final edition of the tournament in Bercy. The 2025 Paris Masters and the subsequent editions will be held in La Défense Arena. One of the major reasons for this change is the seating capacity, which will increase from 17,000 to 23,000. While this change has been made considering the fans, many players have been left dejected over the shift from an iconic venue. Local star, Gael Monfils, didn’t hide his feelings.

Gael Monfils honors special Bercy venue for Paris Masters

The veteran French star has been around for years and has a special connection with Bercy. Monfils has had several unforgettable moments on the courts in Bercy and he was left sad after the tournament organizers decided to shift the venue. While announcing his withdrawal at the Paris Masters, Monfils hailed the special venue.

He said, “Between me and Bercy, it’s a special story. I grew up there, dreamed in the stands, made two finals, beat Federer for the first time, and felt an insane energy with the audience. Thank you all and thank you to this mythical room that gave me so much. Goodbye Bercy. Thank you. Looking forward to discovering this new adventure in this new venue next year, which is going to be magnificent, I’m sure, for the Rolex Paris Masters.”

While Monfils’ absence has hurt the local fans at Paris Masters this year, Fils has ensured to make up for his absence with his brilliant performances. He is currently up against Alexander Zverev for a spot in the quarterfinals.