A great start for Félix Auger-Aliassime this weekend, as he won his first ATP title.
Quebec beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on Sunday.
Auger-Aliassime does not hide it: in the end, winning a first title brings him great happiness, but also great relief.
“The first finals I experienced came very early in my young career. In the last two years, it has become a more focused goal, said Auger-Aliassime. Starting the year with those finals that have not been won and this title that is missing, I definitely wanted to start the year by winning a title.
“I did it in the third tournament of the year, so it’s really a dream situation. »
After eight lost finals, Quebec was forging the reputation of a player who collapses in great moments. But Auger-Aliassime never stopped believing that his day would come.
“I always had this belief that I could have the results I had lately,” he explains. I believed it deeply. Then, there is a way between believing in it and really managing to perform that way.
“I was convinced that this title was for me before the match, but it remains that Tsitsipas is always ahead. »
The simple title crowns a stunning start to the season for the Auger-Aliassime following an ATP Cup victory and a quarter-final close to defeating Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open.
The 21-year-old player thus confirms all the progress he has made, both as a result of his attacking tennis and mentally.
“It is a decision I made, to say that this year, whatever happens, the ups and downs that I will experience in the game, to remain optimistic, positive with a good face”, he concludes. Until the match is over, keep looking for solutions. »
Even though he has played many matches since the beginning of the year, Auger-Aliassime claims that he feels good physically. That’s why he will now chain the tournaments, starting with that of Marseille, where he is third, this week.
