“We all get blurry when emotions kick in”: Felix Auger-Aliassime explains how he keeps his mind clear

Felix Auger-Aliassime left the court in Turin speaking less about victory and more about clarity. After outlasting Ben Shelton in a tense 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 battle at the ATP Finals, the Canadian reflected on how composure and discipline are now the foundations of his game. The match, full of heavy serves and narrow margins, became a test of temperament — a test Auger-Aliassime was proud to pass.

He admitted the key wasn’t power, but patience. Rather than getting caught up in emotion, the 25-year-old focused on staying centred. “I was backing myself to stay cool under pressure, to stay disciplined and make the right choices,” he explained during his on-court interview. “When it came down to the last few points of every set, I just tried to make the right play at the right time.”

That mindset didn’t emerge overnight. Auger-Aliassime’s calm presence in Turin is the product of months of work on breathing, meditation, and mental focus — practices he says allow him to perform with purpose rather than impulse. “A lot of work behind the scenes,” he said. “A lot of breathing, meditation, just trying to stay as cool as possible under pressure, and to have clear ideas.”

He’s competing in his second ATP Finals appearance, having fallen in the group stage last time. This week, though, feels different. The numbers back it up — 80% first-serve accuracy, 77% of those points won — but they only reinforce what’s already visible. There’s a steadiness now in his demeanour, one that mirrors the precision of his game. As he prepares to face Alexander Zverev next, Auger-Aliassime’s approach remains simple: stay composed, stay clear.

In a sport driven by adrenaline, Auger-Aliassime speaks about emotion with rare detachment. “We’re all human,” he said. “At some point, things get blurry when our emotions get in. But when you can stay clear with your mind, that’s when you play your best.”

That ability to reset mentally has defined his late-season form. The Canadian has now recorded 40 hard-court wins this year, the second-highest total on tour behind Alex de Minaur. More notably, he’s once again finding joy in the rhythm of competition — no longer burdened by expectation, but motivated by personal growth. “It doesn’t always fall your way,” he admitted, “but at least I have no regrets.”

Inside the court, that clarity manifests through simplicity. He talks about “executing well” and “staying true to the plan” more than anything else. The words may sound routine, yet they reflect a deeper evolution. For a player who once rode waves of brilliance and frustration, equilibrium is now his greatest weapon. “If I’m able to keep being clear with my game plan, executing well,” he said, “then I leave the court with no regrets.”

Reflecting later with ATP Media, Auger-Aliassime offered a technical perspective on the match and how he turned it around. “He was playing much better than me at the start,” he said. “It’s not often that I get broken twice in the first set indoors… It was a weird start, but as the match went on I was finding ways to put returns in the court. Once we engaged in the rallies, I felt like I could win more. You just have to fight, believe, and play the next point the right way.”

Those adjustments underline not only his tactical awareness but also his composure — the same calm that has long defined his indoor success. No active player has won more indoor hard-court matches than Auger-Aliassime in the last decade (84). Yet numbers alone don’t capture the transformation that allows him to thrive when matches tighten. “I felt great, physically. We recovered well, did the right things,” he said. “I have to give him credit — he kept coming up with great serves. When the opponent plays that well, you have to give him credit, but also to myself for staying cool.”

Felix's next challenge will be against Zverev, with whom he holds a 3-6 Head-to-Head (H2H) record. However, their last encounter—a couple of months ago at the US Open—ended in favor of Auger-Aliassime, amidst his best run in a Grand Slam, where he reached the semi-finals. Nevertheless, the German holds the advantage in their two previous duels on indoor hardcourts (2020 Cologne Final, 2021 Vienna Quarterfinals).