Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada secured a spot in the final of the Paris Masters tennis tournament by defeating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets on Saturday. Auger-Aliassime, hailing from Montreal, emerged victorious with a 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over the 13th-seeded Bublik in the semifinal match.
In the final on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime will face off against Jannik Sinner from Italy, who dominated Alexander Zverev of Germany with a 6-0, 6-1 win in the later semifinal on Saturday. Sinner’s victory brings him closer to reclaiming the top ranking in the world.
The head-to-head record between Auger-Aliassime and Sinner stands at 2-2, with Sinner winning the last two encounters, including at this year’s U.S. Open semifinals. Auger-Aliassime’s semifinal triumph propelled him past Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti into the eighth and final qualifying position for the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
Following the outcome on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime is poised to hold a 90-point advantage over Musetti as they head into the next week’s Moselle Open in Metz, France. Meanwhile, Musetti is scheduled to compete in Athens next week.
Auger-Aliassime, who secured victories in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels earlier this year, is aiming for his ninth career title and his first at the Masters level. The ninth-seeded player in Paris defeated Bublik in 96 minutes on Saturday.
Expressing his excitement for the upcoming final, Auger-Aliassime remarked, “A Masters 1000 final sounds really good… Hopefully, I can go all the way and get the title.” In the match, Auger-Aliassime staged a comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the second set, showcasing his prowess with 31 winners, including 17 on his forehand, and converting three out of four break points earned.
Although Bublik initially showed strength in the second set, he ultimately lost five consecutive games, culminating in a display of frustration by smashing his racket on the ground. Auger-Aliassime sealed the victory with a series of powerful shots, including his 12th ace to start serving for the match.
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.”