This unexpected title was won at the ATP 500 tournament in Basel this seasonOn Sunday, after such difficult months, trust in Félix Auger-Aliassime seems to have been restored. “I’m definitely back,” said the Quebecer in an on-field interview a few minutes after his triumph.
“I let my racket do the talking, that has always been my motto,” said Félix. I was always convinced that I could be a top player, but this season I had a lot of doubts about my performance.
Three wins in 11 tournaments
Those doubts began in April when the Quebecer was forced to miss the Monte Carlo Masters tournament due to a right knee injury.
Until then, Auger-Aliassime had not had a season that came close to the performance at the end of the previous year, when he had won three consecutive trophies and a string of 16 victories.
But it was still okay: a semi-final in Doha, a quarter-final in Indian Wells and also a round of 16 at the Australian Open.
The absence ended up being just one tournament, which could be reassuring. But the pain continued. So much so that “FAA” has lost its bearings. Between late April and early October, including the Laver Cup, he achieved just three wins in 12 events.
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Difficult times and new challenges
Even though the Quebecer, who was ranked 19th in the world after the start of the season, told Toronto that he was now playing pain-free, he had to regain confidence in his game.
“I went through several difficult moments,” Félix repeated after defeating Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, 11th in the world rankings, on Sunday.
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“This year I faced a new challenge: being away from the field, playing tournaments and, above all, taking painkillers,” continued the defending Swiss champion. It’s still one today.”
“It was a difficult season overall, but [cette victoire] is something very special, even more so than last year.”