Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has secured a spot in the final of the Paris Masters tennis tournament after defeating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets on Saturday. The Montreal native emerged victorious with a 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over the 13th-seeded Bublik in the semifinal match.
Auger-Aliassime is set to face Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the final showdown on Sunday. Sinner dominated his semifinal match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory, edging closer to reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking.
The upcoming final match between Auger-Aliassime and Sinner will mark their fifth encounter, with Sinner having won the last two matches, including the semifinal clash at this year’s U.S. Open. Auger-Aliassime’s semifinal triumph propelled him past Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti to secure the eighth and final qualification spot for the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy next month.
Following the outcome on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime is poised to lead Musetti by a 90-point margin into the upcoming Moselle Open in Metz, France next week, while Musetti is scheduled to compete in Athens during the same period. The 25-year-old Canadian, who has clinched titles in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels this year, is aiming for his ninth career title and his first at the Masters level.
In his semifinal victory over Bublik, Auger-Aliassime made a strong comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the second set, ultimately defeating his opponent in 96 minutes. The Canadian displayed an impressive performance, registering 31 winners, including 17 from his forehand, and successfully converting three out of four break points earned.
Bublik initially showed resilience in the second set but faltered towards the end, conceding five consecutive games and expressing frustration by smashing his racket on the ground. Auger-Aliassime sealed the match while serving with his 12th ace, securing a first match point with a forehand winner at the net and ultimately clinching it with another powerful forehand shot. Auger-Aliassime, filled with emotion, acknowledged the crowd with a gesture of gratitude.
Looking ahead to the final, Auger-Aliassime expressed his excitement, stating, “A Masters 1000 final sounds really good. You don’t play those finals every week. Hopefully, I can go all the way and get the title.”