WHAT HAPPENED: Felix Auger-Aliassime has long grown accustomed to the Next-Big-Thing expectations that have followed him since he captured the US Open boys’ singles title at 16; a graceful, speedy, all-court force who seemed to have every shot in the book.
While he has shown flashes of brilliance—he would crack the Top 25 in 2019 and advance to five ATP finals while still in his teens—it’s only now that we’re truly beginning to see it all come together for the 21-year-old Canadian. On Sunday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 12th seed became youngest man to reach consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals in a dozen years, outlasting American Frances Tiafoe in an all-out border war, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.
In July, Auger-Aliassime upset Alexander Zverev en route to the elite eight at Wimbledon.
“It was a tough start for me—a lot of nerves,” said Auger-Aliassime, who out-aced his opponent, 24-10, in the three-hour, 23-minute contest. “I felt like I would be able to break back in the first set, but it is what it is. You’ve got to accept it. I played a great second set. Then the third set was almost a coin toss. He raised his level again. I just had to stay strong with my serve in the end. It’s a great win for me and I’m happy to be through.”
Co-coached by former Rafael Nadal mentor Toni Nadal, Auger-Aliassime dug himself an early hole, broken to open the match. He would have plenty of opportunities to bring the set back on serve, but was 0-for-8 on break point conversions. He finally made good with a break point on his ninth opportunity, punching a forehand winner with Tiafoe serving at 2-3, 0-40, in the second set.
Both Tiafoe (three) and Auger-Aliassime (one) would save set points in the third, though it was the Canadian who would eventually take the set in a tiebreak. He remains a perfect 5-0 in tiebreaks through four matches. The lost opportunity seemed to derail Tiafoe, who fell behind, 0-2, in the fourth.
Tiafoe, who came into the year-end Slam ranked No. 50, some 21 spots below his career-high, had taken out fifth seed Andrey Rublev in the third round, lifted by a boisterous late-night crowd in the biggest stadium in the sport. New Yorkers did their best to carry him to victory again on Sunday, but it was not to be.
WHAT IT MEANS: Surging Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz is next up for Auger-Aliassime. The 18-year-old has now won back-to-back five-setters over No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and qualifier Peter Gojowczyk. It will be their first meeting.
“He’s a great player,” said Auger-Aliassime. “At some point, age is just a number. He already feels like a player who is established. He’s playing some amazing tennis.”
MATCH POINT: The grass-court swing was a memorable won for Auger-Aliassime in 2021: he upset Alexander Zverev to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon, reached the Stuttgart final, and defeated boyhood idol Roger Federer en route to Halle semifinals.
