Coming into the Swiss Indoors at Basel, Felix Auger‑Aliassime started strong. The Frenchman had been making waves lately with a quarterfinal run in Cincinnati, a semifinal finish at the US Open, and another quarterfinal in Shanghai. He then captured the Brussels title last week, climbing to ninth place in the ATP Live Race to Turin. But while the road to the season’s end was already rocky, another obstacle just made it tougher.

On Friday, facing Spain’s Jaume Munar in the quarterfinals, Felix wasn’t having a good time on court. He was eyeing another semifinal, but the first set against Munar told a different story. Shared via Tennis TV on X, “Unfortunately Felix Auger‑Aliassime is forced to retire with Jaume Munar leading 6‑3, Munar advances while we wish Felix a speedy recovery.”

Despite cruising through earlier rounds with straight‑set wins over fellow serve‑bot Gabriel Diallo and Marin Cilic, the Canadian’s run ended abruptly. He walked to the net after just 45 minutes and brought his quarterfinal clash at the ATP 500 to an unexpected close. Sources said the withdrawal came due to a back injury.

He’d lifted the trophy here in both 2022 and 2023, so Auger‑Aliassime’s retirement hit hard. Not just for the tournament, but for his Race to Turin hopes, too. Sitting on 3,145 points after his Brussels triumph, the Canadian nudged up to 3,245 following his Basel quarterfinal run. He still has serious ground to make up if he wants a spot at the ATP Finals.

Heading into this week’s action at the Swiss Indoors and the Vienna Open, Felix Auger‑Aliassime sat ninth in the ATP Race to Turin, just one spot shy of the elite eight who qualify for the season finale. He had his sights firmly set on chasing down Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti, the two names clinging to the last qualifying spots. De Minaur held 3,545 points, while Musetti followed close behind on 3,485 heading into the week’s battles.

But the chase just got trickier. Both players marched into the Vienna quarterfinals, adding 100 points each to strengthen their grip on those spots, moving to 3,645 and 3,585 ahead of Friday’s matches. Felix, meanwhile, was forced to step back with a nagging back injury. Can he recover quickly enough to reignite his late‑season push? Only time will tell.

While Felix has enjoyed a solid run this season with consistent results, his physical form could use a spark. He’s been happy with how the year turned out, both on and off the court, especially after getting married to his partner of six years, Nina Ghaibi, on September 20. However, while he’s giving it his all, the Frenchman knows that the ups and downs are part of the game.

Felix Auger Aliassime admits it’s been a “tough couple of years”

At this year’s US Open, Felix finally returned to the semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium after four long years. It was the comeback fans had been waiting for. Facing the fiery Alex de Minaur, Felix looked down and almost out, trailing by two sets. But the big‑hitting Canadian roared back, grabbing an 85‑minute second set to swing the momentum his way.

With his nerves in check, he battled toe‑to‑toe for over four hours, sealing a gritty 4‑6, 7‑6(7), 7‑5, 7‑6(4) win. As he put it afterward, “I think it was just a lot of nerves today during the whole match. It wasn’t pretty at all times, but you know that’s what all Grand Slam matches are. Some days you won’t feel your best, but I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can. To stand here now, so.”

It felt special for Felix Auger Aliassime, who hadn’t reached the US Open semifinals since 2021. “It’s amazing,” he said. “Four years ago, it feels like more, and honestly, it was a tough couple of years, but it feels even better now to be back in the semifinals. It’s been an amazing tournament so far. Like you said, it’s not over. You still have some tennis to play, and the biggest challenges are yet to come.” That 2021 run was his breakthrough moment, showing his grit and raw talent as he battled through to the semis after Carlos Alcaraz’s quarterfinal retirement.

The road since then hasn’t been smooth, but that milestone still fuels him. Even this year, against Jannik Sinner, Felix fought hard before bowing out in four sets after taking the second. Now resting a sore back, all eyes are on him once more. Can Felix Auger Aliassime recover in time for the Paris Masters, the last big stop before Turin?