“I wasn’t even thinking about that far away”: Felix Auger-Aliassime on turning struggles into US Open semifinal glory

Felix Auger-Aliassime survived a marathon quarterfinal battle against Alex de Minaur at the US Open, emerging victorious 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, 7-6(4). “The match was difficult, difficult in many ways. But when you win, you give yourself time to improve, and another chance to play even better. That’s what I’ll remember from today,” Felix said after the match. The Canadian star’s resilience and mental toughness were on full display in a contest that saw momentum swing wildly across four sets.

For Auger-Aliassime, the journey to this stage has been long and challenging. Reflecting on his early career struggles, he admitted, “I wasn’t even thinking about that far away. I was more like, okay, what do I need to improve? What changes do I need to make? And so that’s really what I was focused on—the day-to-day process.” His grounded approach has allowed him to tackle the pressures of the Grand Slam stage with a mix of patience and determination.

Away from the court, Felix is balancing tennis with the excitement—and nerves—of preparing for his upcoming wedding. “It’s quite nerve-wracking,” he confessed. “I haven’t been in the semifinals before. Walking down the aisle, I’ve never done. So when it’s a first, it’s a special feeling for sure.”

He gave credit to his fiancée for handling most of the planning, acknowledging that he has had to focus on tennis during this heavy season. “She’s been amazing. Getting engaged, I thought, well, it’s a heavy season. I need to focus on tournaments that are important for me,” he said.

The quarterfinal itself was a true test of Auger-Aliassime’s composure. Down a break in the second set, he stayed calm and determined. “Even down a break in the second, I was like, okay, let’s just believe that, keep going for it, keep having the same intentions… I’m going to connect a few and feel like, okay, here you go. And to break back immediately, I think that was a great response mentally and in the game,” he explained. In the end, his perseverance paid off, with clutch points in critical moments helping him stay alive in one of the tightest matches of the tournament so far.

Felix Auger-Aliassime had been away from the spotlight in Grand Slam tournaments for several years. He had reached the quarterfinals three times—all consecutively—between Wimbledon 2021 (QF), US Open 2021 (semis), and Australian Open 2022 (QF), but since then had struggled to go deep in majors, only reaching the second week once in his last 10 appearances: at the 2024 French Open, where he fell in the Round of 16, in addition to suffering first-round defeats in six of them.

Asked about the less-than-perfect match, Auger-Aliassime admitted that escaping a messy contest is part of tennis. “Players that win Grand Slams, it’s seven matches. If you play perfect or great seven matches, too good. But for sure, there’s going to be one, two, maybe three that are going to be a struggle,” he said. Reflecting on his tournament so far, he noted that this was his first real test, having only dropped one set before this quarterfinal.

Felix also addressed recent discussions about his composure and mentorship. “I’ve been like that for a while. I try to be myself. I don’t get too excited outside the court either,” he said. “I do it when I feel like the point deserves it… or after a big shot, or the energy of the crowd helps me.” His calm and self-aware approach has been a hallmark of his game, ensuring that he can maintain focus under pressure.

When asked about his upcoming semifinal opponent, Felix was pragmatic. “Honestly, the next match, I’m not really going to focus on my opponent more than myself. I need to play good tennis, better than I did today,” he stated. His focus remains on executing his own game plan and maintaining the high level required to compete in the final stages of a Grand Slam.

He also reflected on the growth of his potential opponents and his own learning from previous matches. “Yannick has improved a lot… Whenever I get asked, I give him credit because you have to give credit when somebody does the work and they improve,” Felix said, recalling their encounter in Cincinnati. The Canadian star highlighted the evolution in movement, physicality, and shot-making that have helped him prepare strategically for what lies ahead.

Beyond the court, Auger-Aliassime remains committed to his humanitarian work. “It’s something that was important for me and my family to implement when the time was right in my career… going there and seeing everything in person is very gratifying,” he explained, referring to his initiatives in Togo and West Africa. Felix hopes his work will inspire the next generation of African players, even if the infrastructure for high-level tennis tournaments is still developing in the region.

“I hope to be the first one to be happy if a player breaks through from one of those countries and makes it on the ATP Tour,” he said. For now, however, Felix is focused on combining his athletic ambitions with the social impact he hopes to foster through tennis.