There are worse ways to end your season than a defeat in the semifinals of the prestigious year-end championships at the hands of the world No. 1 after already securing a career-high ranking.
That is how Félix Auger-Aliassime's 2025 is coming to a close. The Canadian, who will be ranked in the Top 5 for the first time on Monday just by making the semis in Turin, was beaten in his final match of the year on Saturday by Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.
At times in the match, Alcaraz was bringing it at an unplayable level. Auger-Aliassime did a good job of hanging with the world No. 1 but it was not enough as the Spaniard claimed the spot in Sunday’s final with a 6-2, 6-4 win.
It was a clinical performance by Alcaraz, who committed just 10 unforced errors while firing 25 winners. He also won 75 per cent of his total service points, including 82 per cent of his first serves. Auger-Aliassime struggled to keep the world No. 1 at bay, committing 19 unforced errors of his own and winning just 58 per cent of his own service points.
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Alcaraz wasted no time in putting the Canadian under pressure. He had a love-40 opening in Auger-Aliassime's first serve game and went up 15-40 in the second. It took until the fifth break point for the world No. 1 to finally break through, punching away a volley after a sneaky drop shot to go up 3-1.
Auger-Aliassime had a chance to break right back in the following game but drove a forehand into the net. That was the only chance the Canadian had to get back in it as Alcaraz put his foot down late, winning the last eight points in a row to wrap up the opening set with a hold and break to love.
Through most of the first set, the world No. 1 had been playing at a level that was impossible to keep up with. In the second, he appeared to be slowing just a bit and Auger-Aliassime was able to start keeping up with him.
Neither man got particularly close on return through the first nine games of the second set. When Auger-Aliassime served to stay in it at 4-5, he got tight and a trio of nervy errors gave Alcaraz a pair of match points at 15-40. The Canadian saved the first with a big serve but pulled his forehand wide on the second.
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Even in defeat, Auger-Aliassime ends 2025 on a high note. He reached the quarter-finals or better at his last seven events, dating all the way back to Cincinnati in August, allowing him to finish the season at a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world. His rise to No. 5 was confirmed earlier on Saturday when Alex de Minaur lost to Jannik Sinner in the other semifinal. He will be the second Canadian man to be ranked inside the Top 5 of the singles rankings on the ATP Tour after Milos Raonic, who reached No. 3 in 2016.
Feature Photo : Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
