Auger-Aliassime Sets Semifinal Clash with Paul in Adelaide

Photo : Mark Brake

Félix Auger-Aliassime is getting off to a strong start in 2025. The Canadian No. 1 is through to the semifinals at his first regular tour event of the season after beating American Marcos Giron in the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 Adelaide International on Thursday.

Having rallied from a set down in his opening match against Arthur Cazaux, Auger-Aliassime was solid from the start in the quarter-final with Giron. He edged out a tight first set before finishing strong, winning the last four games to claim a 7-6(3), 6-3 win.

Giron had prevented an all-Canadian quarter-final in Adelaide by beating Denis Shapovalov in the second round in straight sets.

The first serve was clicking for Auger-Aliassime, as he put 71 per cent in play and won 80 per cent of those points. Giron did take advantage when the Canadian missed his first delivery, winning 55 per cent of Auger-Aliassime’s second serve points and actually had more break points in the match. However, the Canadian saved all nine he faced while converting two of his eight opportunities.

There was little between the two men in the opening set as they matched each other chance for chance. Giron had an early look at a break in the third game but could not handle an Auger-Aliassime serve out wide. The Canadian’s first chance came in the eighth game when Giron missed a backhand to go down 30-40 but Auger-Aliassime overcooked his return.

Each man then had to save three break points in their final service game of the set. After saving his three, two with good serves, to hold for 6-5, Auger-Aliassime had a chance to break for the set when he led 15-40 in the next game. However, the American stood his ground, blasting a pair of big serves to get back to deuce and then drawing a forehand error from the Canadian to erase another set point before finally holding to send the set to a tiebreak.

Auger-Aliassime scored a minibreak on Giron’s first service point of the tiebreaker with a huge forehand winner to go up 2-0 and never relinquished the lead. His big hitting was too much for the American as he scored two more minibreaks to take the breaker 7-3.

Giron had a golden opportunity to wrestle control away early in the second set when he took a love-40 lead in the Montrealer’s first service game, but Auger-Aliassime was not about to let up. He saved the first break point with a big serve and followed up with a pair of well-timed net attacks to get back to deuce. The American had two more chances to break in the game but Auger-Aliassime still had all the answers, ripping a pair of unreturnable serves before going on to hold for 1-1.

That was the last chance Giron would have. When Auger-Aliassime had his own look at love-40 on the American’s serve in the seventh game, he finally secured the first break of the match by teeing off on a soft second serve to go up 4-3. While that one break may have been enough, the Canadian broke again to love to wrap up the win.

Auger-Aliassime will face off with top seed Tommy Paul in the semifinals. The pair have met once before, with the Canadian winning a thrilling three-setter in Indian Wells back in 2023.

Tickets for the Davis Cup Qualifiers 1^st Round tie between Canada and Hungary are now on sale. Join us February 1 and 2 at IGA Stadium in Montreal, as the Canadian team begins their quest for the 2025 Davis Cup Final 8. To access tickets at early-bird pricing, click here.

Written By

Pete Borkowski