Félix Auger-Aliassime is off to a good start to the season and he continued his good momentum on Friday by reaching the final of the Adelaide tournament, his first in an event played on an outdoor hard surface in three years, at the dawn of the Australian Open which begins Saturday, Eastern time.
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The Quebecer defeated the American Tommy Paul, first seed in this tournament in the ATP 250 and 12 category.e world, 7-6 (3), 3-6 and 6-4, in a meeting that FAA itself described as “a battle”.
“It was a physical and mental effort, because it was a match with a lot of ups and downs,” Félix analyzed in his post-match interview, which was quoted by the ATP website. I had the impression that both of us didn’t present our best level of play, but matches are sometimes like that.
“You have to fight with what you have and find a way to win. I’m really happy I did it [vendredi].»
Félix, 29e world and fifth seed of the tournament, will now face around 2:30 a.m., on the night of Friday to Saturday, the winner of the duel between the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (55e) to the American Sebastian Korda (22e), hoping to lift the sixth individual trophy of his career, at his 16e finale.
If he wins next night, the 24-year-old Montrealer will at the same time win his first title on this surface. His first five were won on hard courts, but indoors.
-Strong start to the year
Auger-Aliassime is riding a great winning streak at the start of the year. He lost from the start against Borna Coric, ranked 90ein the duel between Canada and Croatia at the United Cup.
But Felix hasn’t bowed since. At this same competition, the Quebecer, whose record last season was empty of titles, immediately bounced back by defeating the American Taylor Fritz, fourth in the world and finalist of the last United States Open. He thereby signed his most important victory in terms of ranking since his victory against Carlos Alcaraz, in October 2022.
Then, in Adelaide, FAA recovered from a difficult start to the match – a first round lost 6-1 – against the Frenchman Arthur Cazaux (80e), before continuing with a victory at the expense of the American Marcos Giron, 40ethen beat Paul. A player who was at the same time deprived of a first presence in the top 10 of the ATP.
Photo AFP
Auger-Aliassime had to hang on to reach his first final since the one played at the Masters 1000 in Madrid, on clay, last May. The former sixth-ranked player in the world erased three break points at 4-2, in the final set, before successfully serving for the match.
