Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime secured a spot in the Paris Masters tennis tournament final by defeating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets on Saturday. Auger-Aliassime, hailing from Montreal, triumphed 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the semifinal against the 13th-seeded Bublik.
In the upcoming final on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime will take on Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who dominated over Germany’s Alexander Zverev with a score of 6-0, 6-1 in the later semifinal, edging closer to reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking.
Auger-Aliassime and Sinner have faced off four times previously, with Sinner emerging victorious in the last two encounters, including the semifinals at this year’s U.S. Open. Following his semifinal victory, Auger-Aliassime surpassed Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti to secure the eighth and final spot for the ATP Finals next month in Turin, Italy.
Irrespective of the final outcome on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime will hold a 90-point lead over Musetti heading into the Moselle Open in Metz, France next week, while Musetti is set to compete in Athens. Auger-Aliassime, who has clinched titles this year in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels, is aiming for his ninth career title and his first at the Masters level.
The ninth-seeded player in Paris outplayed Bublik in a 96-minute match on Saturday, making his way to the Masters 1000 final. Expressing his anticipation for the final, Auger-Aliassime stated, “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.”
Auger-Aliassime staged a remarkable comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the second set on Saturday, showcasing his prowess with 31 winners, including 17 on his forehand, and successfully converting three out of four break points earned. Bublik, who had a strong start in the second set, faltered towards the end, dropping five consecutive games and smashing his racket in frustration.
Serving for the match, Auger-Aliassime began with his 12th ace, securing a first match point with a forehand winner at the net and clinching the victory with another powerful forehand. The Canadian player gratefully acknowledged the crowd’s support, expressing his confidence in facing the world’s best players by stating, “I know what I can do against the best players in the world, but you still have to go and execute.”