Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime secured his spot in the Paris Masters tennis tournament final by defeating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets on Saturday. The Montreal native triumphed 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the semifinals against the 13th-seeded Bublik.
Auger-Aliassime will now face Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the final showdown on Sunday. Sinner dominated over Germany’s Alexander Zverev with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 victory in the later semifinal match on Saturday, moving closer to regaining the top spot in the world rankings.
The upcoming final between Auger-Aliassime and Sinner will mark their fifth meeting, with Sinner claiming victory in their last two encounters, including at the U.S. Open semifinals this year. Auger-Aliassime’s semifinal win propelled him past Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti to secure the eighth and final qualification spot for the ATP Finals next month in Turin, Italy.
Win or lose on Sunday, Auger-Aliassime will carry a 90-point advantage over Musetti into the next week’s Moselle Open in Metz, France, as Musetti is set to compete in Athens. The 25-year-old Canadian, who has already clinched titles in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels this year, is vying for his ninth career title and his first at the Masters level.
Ranked ninth in Paris, Auger-Aliassime defeated Bublik in a 96-minute match on Saturday, showcasing resilience by making a comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the second set. With 31 winners, including 17 forehand shots, and converting three out of four break points, Auger-Aliassime displayed a strong performance.
Bublik, who started the second set strongly, faltered towards the end, losing five consecutive games and even smashing his racket in frustration. Auger-Aliassime sealed the victory by serving for the match, starting with his 12th ace and finishing with a powerful forehand shot on match point.
Excited about the opportunity, Auger-Aliassime expressed his eagerness for the challenge ahead, 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.”
