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Desperately Hoping to End a ‘Vicious Cycle’, 23YO Canadian ATP Star Makes Brutally Honest Admission Ahead of Laver Cup

Published 09/22/2023, 9:54 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

While it is true that Laver Cup 2023 will not be as star-studded as it was last year, the competition and stakes remain as high as they were. Canadian ATP star Felix Auger-Aliassime is one among a bunch of promising young talents set to take center stage as Team World battles Team Europe for bragging rights in Vancouver. Although there are hardly any doubts regarding Auger-Aliassime’s capabilities as a tennis player, the current season hasn’t gone according to plan for the young Canadian.

Auger-Aliassime was riddled with injuries and illness for the majority of 2023. Before stepping onto the court at the Laver Cup, the 23-year-old revisited all the challenges he had to face over the last year. Here’s what he had to say.

Felix Auger-Aliassime sheds light on recent injury struggles as he looks to bounce back at Laver Cup

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The Canadian youngster arrived on the ATP tour with a bang and attained a career-high singles ranking of world number 6 in November 2022. However, things took a turn for the worse soon after, as a nagging knee-tendon ailment and related illnesses continued to plague Auger-Aliassime throughout 2023. He was eliminated from the very first round of the previous 3 grand slams of this year – the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

USA Today via Reuters

Prior to the Laver Cup, Felix Auger-Aliassime recalled the injury woes he had to deal with earlier this year, as reported by The Province.“My dedication to a game I love hasn’t changed, but it’s been tough. The injury has taken a long time to heal and it’s kind of off and on. It was difficult to project myself throughout the year and that I could play many weeks in a row. I would get an early loss and be in this vicious cycle and losing early, losing some confidence and not being healthy.. It’s probably the biggest challenge I’ve had so far in my career”, he said.

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With Auger-Aliassime aiming to get back in shape, Laver Cup 2023 promises to be an exciting affair. What does it have in store for us? Let’s find out.

Refusing to Put Blame on Rafael Nadal’s Uncle, ‘Culprit’ Felix Auger-Aliassime Comes Down Hard on Himself Over His Horrendous Form

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What to expect at Laver Cup 2023

The sixth edition of the Laver Cup is slated to begin on September 22 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada. Felix Auger-Aliassime will represent Team World alongside the likes of Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Ben Shelton as his teammates. Watching these supremely talented stars take on Team Europe consisting of equally exciting players like Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, and Hubert Hurkacz will certainly be an enticing affair. Team Europe will be extra-pumped as they look to exact revenge after last year’s loss to Team World.

via Reuters

With this tournament, Auger-Aliassime hopes to leave behind all the injury woes, a poor run of form, and disappointments of early-round losses completely and start his career afresh in order to regain the glittering form and consistency of last year. Can the Canadian achieve his goal? Let us know what you feel in the comments.

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Written by:

Prithviraj Roy

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Prithviraj Roy is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. With an academic background in Journalism & Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), he has more than 2 years of experience as a Content Writer. Prithviraj has been a die-hard fan of the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal since his childhood years.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar