“The facts are they’re a level above everyone”: Felix Auger-Aliassime analyzes gap with Alcaraz & Sinner after Turin loss

Felix Auger-Aliassime concluded his season after a tough defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, 2-6, 4-6, in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals. This was Felix’s second appearance at the year-end tournament, and he improved upon his 2022 result by reaching the semi-finals this time.

The Canadian can take positive lessons from his run in Turin, despite the decisive loss to Alcaraz. The 25-year-old player entered the ATP Finals at the last minute and surprised Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev in the Round Robin to advance as the second qualifier from the Bjorn Borg Group.

The Canadian arrived as the 8th seed but managed to earn several points thanks to his two victories, which allowed him to climb to World No. 5 as his year-end ranking, a career-best. “[I feel] back where I belong. Back where I feel like I can play with more consistency,” Auger-Aliassime said in a press conference this Saturday, according to ATP Tour. “I am really happy to be part of this tournament, to have played that way in the last few months.”

The Canadian closes an impressive season with a 50-24 record and 3 titles in his pocket, plus appearances in the Paris Masters final and the US Open semi-finals—among several other deep runs, reaching at least the semi-finals in 11 tournaments during 2025. “It's great progression I've had this year. I've always believed that since I was a kid, my ambition was to win Grand Slams and be No. 1 in the world.

"I've had ups and downs, but honestly through it all, I always believed I could be there. I still believe today. Now it's a matter of doing the right things to improve. If I do, we'll see where that leaves me.”

Auger-Aliassime was one of the players who shone brightest in the final part of the season. He reached the quarter-finals at the Cincinnati Open and Shanghai Masters, the semi-finals at the US Open, and won the title in Brussels. The final appearance at the Paris Masters a few weeks prior ultimately gave him the necessary momentum to secure his spot in Turin.

After advancing from the Round Robin, he faced Carlos Alcaraz—for the first time this season—and ultimately lost 6-2, 6-4. The Spaniard secured his 5th consecutive victory against Felix (making the H2H 5-3). “He's serving crazy good. He did that amazingly,” Auger-Aliassime said when asked about the Spaniard. “The rest of the game has always been good. He can change directions with both shots. He puts pressure on you in a different way. You don't know what to expect. He's playing at a very high speed. I think that was the most challenging.”

At the end of the year, Auger-Aliassime is positioned as one of the names that can threaten the dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz in 2026, or at least one of those closest to them. Since August, the Canadian won 20 of 27 matches—although five of the losses were against Sinner or Alcaraz (in addition to one injury retirement).

“Everybody's good. I can't just focus on these two,” commented the new World No. 5 regarding the tournament finalists. “Everybody above me, below me, young guys coming up. It's high competition every year. You can have bad luck. But of course when I play these guys right now, the facts are they're a level above everyone. Yeah, I'm going to need to put some work. I've never been afraid of some work, so it's all good.”

Auger-Aliassime concludes a season to remember, adding three more titles to his count in Adelaide, Open Occitanie, and the European Open, besides entering the Top 5 for the first time.