Fantastic Felix Auger-Aliassime sets up Alex de Minaur Quarter-Final clash at US Open

Felix Auger-Aliassime continues to bring it at this year's US Open with the Canadian ace finding his way past Andrey Rublev in a dismantling and he will now face Alex de Minaur for a spot in the Quarter-Finals.

Auger-Aliassime who was humbled recently by Jannik Sinner seemed to take that personally as he was on different smoke on Monday to continue his excellent run. Playing a US Open tie with fearless aggression and a relentless nature, he wouldn't give Rublev a second to breathe on Arthur Ashe.

It is a fourth major Quarter-Final for Auger-Aliassime and first since his run at three straight majors between Wimbledon back in 2021 through to the 2022 Australian Open. Next up is Alex de Minaur and he mused on returning to Arthur Ashe.

"Today is my first time playing on Arthur Ashe in a few years, and I think it feels even better than the first time," said Auger-Aliassime on court.

"The first time, at 21, I was kind of on my way up. Then I had a few setbacks, injuries, struggles with confidence. To come back and make the quarterfinals again, it feels much better. It feels more deserved. I’m soaking in every moment here."

"I think I’ve played well in the past against Andrey or Sascha as well. But the key now is to keep my cool and be more calm and poised to finish the match. I’ve had many tough matches with Andrey in the past—it was always a battle. Sometimes I would be up, like I was here serving out the match, and he would come back and win eventually. So it was very important for me today to stay ahead and to keep putting pressure all the way until the last point."

This after he trailed early 2-4 in the first set to Rublev. But he managed to find a superb run to clinch the opener from 5-5. The pivotal blow came through the second though as Rublev struggled with errors and also double faults. Auger-Aliassime picked him apart and ran away with it. He hit 42 winners to Rublev's 22 en route to his second win only against Rublev. Previously it has been 7-2 in favour of the Russian.

He also mused after about the importance of meditation but also that he potentially doesn't want to reach the final due to having a wedding on the day on the final.

"Yeah, it’s very important for me. It’s something I’ve added in the last couple of years. In those tight moments, you want to come on the court with the right state of mind," he said on the importance of meditation. "There’s a lot of excitement around in our world today, but on the court, we need to be very calm-headed, especially in pressure moments. So for me, it’s kind of a routine I have before matches, and it helps calm me down in those big moments.

"Well, hopefully—that’s what I’m here for, right? So yeah, let’s go all the way. But regardless of the final, like you said, I have a wedding coming up, and I do have a fitting whether I’m in the finals or not. I have to attend that. But we’ll see—if I make the final, maybe I have to postpone the fitting as well."

Earlier Alex de Minaur sealed his spot to eventually now face off against Felix Auger-Aliassime. He dropped serve twice but countered superbly as he took down World No.435 Leandro Reidi 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 33 minutes. It is a sixth major Quarter-Final and third at the US Open but he has never advanced beyond this stage.

So it could yet be a first for De Minaur who has the tools to do so. Rule out the Demon at your peril as he gears up for a clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime.