Photo : @swissindoorsbasel_official
Felix Auger-Aliassime is back in peak form. The Canadian advanced to his first finals of the year after a massive win in the Swiss Indoors semifinals.
He faced Danish Holger Rune (1st) and made quick work of his opponent, besting him in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
The match signifies a sharp turn in Auger-Aliassine’s year, overcoming injuries and disappointing tournament appearances. His win against Rune propelled him to his first finals of 2023.
Auger-Aliassime dominated the entire match but it’s in his service games that he set himself apart from his opponent. After a lengthy match in the quarter-finals, Auger-Aliassime seemed poised to finish off the semifinals as quickly as possible.
Across both sets, he recorded five aces and scored points on 82 per cent of his first serves. He didn’t falter much in his second serves, converting 68 per cent of them.
His first serves were strong in the first set but were nearly unbeatable in the second. Of the 14 first serves he attempted, he scored points on 13 of them, breezing his way through the match.
The Canadian was equally strong in his returns, breaking Rune’s serves once in the first set and twice in the second. In turn, Rune failed to break Auger-Aliassime’s serve a single time in the match.
Auger-Aliassime never fell behind in either set, effectively proving that his mission to reach the finals would not be compromised.
His continued assertion of dominance showed flashes of his potential that he aptly demonstrated in 2022.
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Though the Swiss Indoors tournament is not quite finished yet, he’ll have a chance to defend his title in the finals tomorrow.
He’ll square off against Polish Hubert Hurkacz, who will look to get another tournament victory in 2023. He previously took home the trophy in Shanghai earlier in October.
Auger-Aliassime and Hurkacz will play tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.