Félix Auger-Aliassime

Biography

Félix Auger-Aliassime had his first full year on the ATP Tour in 2019. In February, he became the youngest player to reach an ATP 500 final, doing so in Rio de Janeiro. He made two more finals appearances that year, at the ATP 250 events in Lyon and Stuttgart. He had an early career highlight in making the semifinals at the Miami Open, an ATP Masters 1000 event, becoming the youngest to ever get that far at that tournament. He earned his first Grand Slam match win when he defeated countryman Vasek Pospisil in the opening round at Wimbledon, advancing as far as the third round. For the second year in a row, he had to open the U.S. Open against fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov and dropped the match. Auger-Aliassime became the youngest player to be ranked the ATP top-25 in 20 years, peaking at No. 17.

Towards the end of the 2019 season, he missed six weeks with a partially torn ligament in his ankle but avoided surgery. That kept him out of Canada’s early matchups at the inaugural Davis Cup Finals, but he did get in to play singles in the final round against Spain as Canada finished as the runners-up. Earlier in the year, he had won the fifth and deciding rubber against Slovakia that qualified Canada for the Davis Cup Finals. 

In early 2020, Auger-Aliassime reached back-to-back finals in Rotterdam (ATP 500) and Marseille (ATP 250). That made him the youngest to play in five career ATP finals since Rafael Nadal in 2005. When tournaments resumed in late summer following a hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Auger-Aliassime had his best showing at a Grand Slam, reaching the fourth round of the U.S. Open before losing to eventual champion Dominic Thiem. He earned his way into the final at the ATP 250 in Cologne in October. He got his first career ATP tournament victory in doubles at the Masters 1000 in Paris with Polish partner Hubert Hurkacz. 

Auger-Aliassime began the 2021 season with his seventh career singles final appearance at the Murray River Open. That was a warmup for the Australian Open where he defeated Shapovalov to get to the fourth round. In April, he announced that Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal, would be his coach. He advanced to his eighth career final at the Stuttgart Open in June. At Wimbledon he reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal before falling to eventual runner-up Matteo Berrettini of Italy. He made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

Auger-Aliassime had turned pro in 2015 and became the youngest player to win a main draw match on the ITF Challenger Tour. That year, he won the junior doubles title at the U.S. Open with Shapovalov. A few months later he, Shapovalov, and Benjamin Sigouin won the Junior Davis Cup for the first time ever for Canada.

In 2016, he made the junior singles final at the French Open and the junior doubles final at Wimbledon with Shapovalov. He won his first junior Grand Slam singles title at the U.S. Open and reached the junior doubles final with Sigouin. In 2017, Auger-Aliassime captured his first two ITF Challenger titles to become the youngest player to crack the ATP top-200 rankings since Nadal in 2002.

Auger-Aliassime made his ATP Tour debut at the Rotterdam Open in 2018. He became the first ATP match winner born in the 2000s when he defeated Pospisil a few weeks later at Indian Wells. He worked his way through qualifying to reach the main draw at the U.S. Open, but retired in his first-round matchup with Shapovalov due heart palpitations brought on by the extreme heat.

A Little More About Félix

Getting into the Sport: Played in his first tournament at age 6 and reached his first final in that tournament… Turned professional at age 14… Has been travelling around the world for competition since age 9-10… His dad was his coach until age 13, sharing his passion for tennis… Watching Canadian athletes walk behind the flag at past Opening Ceremonies made him know he wanted to do the same… Outside Interests: Enjoys reading, watching movies, playing piano, going for hikes, fan of the Montreal Canadiens… Would be an artist if he wasn’t playing tennis… Part of a project that involves giving better opportunities to young boys and girls in Togo, his father’s country of origin… Odds and Ends: Favourite motto: “Respect, Humility and Hard Work”…