From 2019 until early 2022, Felix Auger-Aliassime lost the first eight ATP finals of his career. Suddenly, he can’t lose when a trophy is on the line.
Auger-Aliassime has now captured four titles this season and has won three consecutive finals–in back-to-back-to-back weeks, in fact–after beating Holger Rune 6-3, 7-5 at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Sunday. The 22-year-old Canadian’s incredible fall hot streak has him in position to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, which will happen unless Taylor Fritz wins the Paris Masters and Andrey Rublev reaches the semifinals.
“It’s been an amazing week,” Auger-Aliassime said after seeing off Rune in one hour and 39 minutes. “Once again in the final, not getting broken all week…. [It has been] a long year, a long stretch of wins, and it’s not over. So hopefully I can keep going, but right now I’m feeling all the good emotions that come with winning a tournament. It’s amazing.”
Assuming Auger-Aliassime clinches his place in the year-end championship, he will join a field that includes 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev. The Russian secured his spot this past weekend by triumphing at the Erste Bank Open, where he overcame Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
“I am really happy,” Medvedev assured. “This match was the best of the week because Denis was really playing unreal until probably 4-3 in the second set. He dropped his level by maybe two per cent and I was able to use it. This is one of the best victories when you know your opponent is on top of you, but you try and stay there and do what you can.
“I like to play indoor hard courts at the end of the season. I feel that I do a great job with my team not to arrive burnt out. I am looking forward to the last two tournaments of the year, which are really important and I usually play well.”
Felix on fire