Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime secured a spot in the final of the Paris Masters tennis tournament by defeating Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan in straight sets on Saturday. The Montreal native claimed victory with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the semi-final match against the 13th-seeded Bublik.
Auger-Aliassime will now go head-to-head with Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the upcoming final on Sunday. Sinner dominated his semi-final match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev with a decisive 6-0, 6-1 win, edging closer to regaining the world No. 1 ranking.
The two contenders, Auger-Aliassime and Sinner, have a balanced record of 2-2 in their previous encounters, with Sinner emerging victorious in their last two meetings, including the semi-finals at this year’s U.S. Open.
Following the semi-final triumph, Auger-Aliassime surpassed Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti to secure the eighth and final qualifying position for the ATP Finals scheduled next month in Turin, Italy. Regardless of the outcome on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime will hold a 90-point lead over Musetti heading into the upcoming Moselle Open in Metz, France, where Musetti will also compete.
Having clinched titles this year in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels, the 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime is vying for his ninth career title and his first at the Masters level. The ninth-seeded player in Paris overcame Bublik in a 96-minute match on Saturday.
Expressing his excitement, Auger-Aliassime mentioned, “A Masters 1000 final sounds really good. You don’t play those finals every week. Hopefully, I can go all the way and get the title.”
In a remarkable display of resilience, Auger-Aliassime rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set on Saturday. He showcased his prowess by delivering 31 winners during the match, including 17 with his forehand, and successfully converted three out of four break points earned.
Bublik, who started the second set strongly, faltered towards the end, losing five consecutive games and displaying frustration by smashing his racket on the ground. Auger-Aliassime sealed the victory with a strong performance, starting with his 12th ace while serving for the match. He secured the win with a powerful forehand shot, acknowledging the crowd with a heartwarming gesture.
Reflecting on his performance, Auger-Aliassime stated, “I know what I can do against the best players in the world, but you still have to go and execute.”
