Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime secured a spot in the Paris Masters tennis tournament final by defeating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets on Saturday. The Montreal native emerged victorious with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the semifinal match against the 13th-seeded Bublik.
In the final, Auger-Aliassime will be up against Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who dominated Germany’s Alexander Zverev with a score of 6-0, 6-1 in the later semifinal, moving closer to reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking. Auger-Aliassime and Sinner have a head-to-head record of 2-2, with Sinner winning their last two encounters, including the semifinals at this year’s U.S. Open.
Following his semifinal victory, Auger-Aliassime surpassed Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti to secure the eighth and final qualification spot for the ATP Finals next month in Turin, Italy. Regardless of the final outcome on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime will hold a 90-point lead over Musetti heading into the Moselle Open in Metz, France next week, where Musetti will also be competing.
Auger-Aliassime expressed his excitement about reaching the Masters 1000 final, highlighting the significance of such an achievement. The 25-year-old, who has previously clinched titles in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels this year, is aiming to secure his ninth career title and his first at the Masters level.
During the match against Bublik, Auger-Aliassime staged a comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the second set, showcasing his prowess with 31 winners, including 17 on his forehand side. He capitalized on three out of four break points he earned, ultimately closing out the match. Bublik, who started the second set strongly, faltered towards the end, losing five consecutive games and displaying frustration by smashing his racket on the ground.
Auger-Aliassime sealed the victory with an ace while serving for the match, followed by a forehand winner at the net. Expressing his confidence in his abilities against the top players in the world, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged the importance of execution in high-stakes matches.