Felix Auger-Aliassime is trying to start again after a horrible 2023 and now, however, there is a great opportunity to start again: the final of the Mutua Madrid Open which he will play in a few minutes against Andrey Rublev.
For the young Canadian, this will be the first final in an ATP Masters 1000.
“Obviously I feel sorry for those who had to withdraw. It’s a crazy situation and I don’t know if it’s ever happened to a player before with all these withdrawals in a series. I’ve also had several injuries and I know what it feels like when they deprive you of do what you love most in the world.
I know I have a great opportunity in front of me in my career. I think I trained well for weeks, having good sensations and against Ruud I got a victory that gave me a lot of confidence,” he told.
Felix Auger-Aliassime© Getty Images Sport – Julian Finney
“Each year since I turned professional I have progressed and become a better player. Then came 2023, which was a terrible year in my career and in my life. In sport everything changes quickly and we tend to forget.
I am proud of having maintained my passion for tennis in difficult moments, of having been able to face frustration and of continuing to want with all my strength to be a great tennis player. It’s nice to see myself in this situation again. Some of the best matches of my career have been on clay and I always felt I had the potential to do well,” he added.
Felix Auger-Aliassime© Getty Images Sport – Julian Finney
Felix will challenge Rublev
As mentioned, Auger-Aliassime will play his first final in a Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid against the Russian Andrey Rublev. Felix obviously said he was very happy with this result in Madrid although obviously it must be underlined that there was also the help of good luck.
Three opponents withdrew in his path: first Mensik, then Jannik Sinner withdrew before taking to the field for the quarter-final match and the worsening of a back injury forced the Czech Jiri Lehecka to withdraw in the seventh game of the semifinal match.
About Rublev, with whom he is down 4-1 head-to-head, he said: “Every time we played they were hard-fought matches, with crazy situations. I want to concentrate on playing my best tennis, he is a great player who has been among the tennis elite for years.”
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