Even some tennis fatigue and a late arrival to Montreal didn’t wipe the smile off Félix Auger-Aliassime’s face as the hometown favourite met with the media ahead of main draw action at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
It was understandable.
Auger-Aliassime just won a bronze medal with Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski at the Paris Olympics, doing so at the grand venue of Roland-Garros as part of a whirlwind tournament for the Canadian on the famous red clay.
“It was a week filled with beautiful emotions,” said Auger-Aliassime, who might do more celebrating on Thursday since he turns 24. “I’m proud to have contributed to the success of the Canadian team at the Games. A lot of pride returning here to Montreal. The Olympics is a special tournament.”
And in his case, a frantic one. His last few days in the French capital went something like this.
He faced Carlos Alcaraz in the singles semi-finals on Friday, later teaming up with Dabrowski to land a podium finish in mixed doubles.
Auger-Aliassime was back at it Saturday evening time in Paris, falling narrowly short in the singles bronze medal match as tiredness and a surging opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, pipped him 6-3 in a third set.
Auger-Aliassime’s flight back home on Sunday left late, meaning he only exited the doors of Montreal’s international airport around midnight.
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But a lack of rest might be counterbalanced this week by the jolt of competing in front of his adoring fans, a good chunk of which turned up to his truncated practice Monday despite the rain.
“I haven’t slept normally these last few days but to come to Montreal, it gives me a lot of energy more than a pressure,” said Auger-Aliassime. “I’m very motivated. I couldn’t train too much with the rain but to see everyone that was present, it did me good and brought a smile to my face.
“I hope to push more. There will be time later in the season to have a rest. Now it’s the time to continue to play well.”
Auger-Aliassime knocked off a pair of players who had his number in Paris, Daniil Medvedev and Casper Ruud.
Medvedev had won all seven of their previous matches, while two-time French Open finalist Ruud prevailed in three of their past four meetings — including in the quarter-finals in Montreal two years ago.
It marked the first time Auger-Aliassime topped two Top 10 players at the same tournament since Rotterdam in 2022.
“They are wins that will do me a lot of good,” the world no. 19 said. “A lot of good to achieve (wins) against players like this who troubled me in the past, Medvedev notably.”
“It’s true that I believed I could do it but to achieve it in a tournament so important, it brings me a lot of confidence.”
Auger-Aliassime hopes to carry it forward against another in-form player, Flavio Cobolli, in the first round at IGA Stadium. Like Musetti, he is an Italian.
Cobolli, who beat Auger-Aliassime in Acapulco in February, made his first top-tier final Sunday in Washington.
“I’m already preparing for my first match here,” said the man often nicknamed ‘FAA.’ “I’m focused. It’s true the expectations are much higher (at home). I will manage it the best I can.”
He managed everything just fine at the Olympics.
Feature photo: Pascal Ratthé
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