Felix Auger-Aliassime Shares Secret Ritual After Stunning Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev at US Open

Coming back to Arthur Ashe Stadium with another impressive run, Felix Auger-Aliassime is doing it all! Fresh off his win over third seed Alexander Zverev on Saturday, the Canadian stunned the 15th seed Andrey Rublev again earlier today. With his big serve and a semifinal showing at the 2021 US Open, this isn’t a surprise. But what keeps him focused under all this pressure?

On Monday at the US Open, the 25th seed finally broke through. He beat Rublev in straight sets to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final in three years. Auger-Aliassime recovered from a break in the first set and then took control. He won 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. It was just his second win over the Russian in nine meetings.

In his on-court interview, he was asked about his pre-match ritual of meditation. Does it work? Looks like it does. The Canadian said, “It’s really important for me. It’s something I’ve added in the last couple of years, you know, because in those tight moments, you want to come on the court with the right state of mind.”

Adding, “There’s a lot of excitement around in our world today, but on the court, we need to be really, really calm-headed. Especially in the pressure moments, so it’s kind of a routine that I have before matches and helps to calm me down in those big pressure moments.” That’s some wise words from a 25-year-old!

His big win over the German on Saturday set the stage for the fourth round. He took the win 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4. He dominated at the net, winning 24 of 27 points in nearly four hours of play. Alexander Zverev entered the match with a 6-2 lead in their head-to-head. Afterward, he warned, “The job’s not done.” And boy, he delivered!

Taking down Rublev was no small feat, but Auger-Aliassime brought his A-game. He served up 13 aces and kept his double faults to just four in a tight two-hour, 16-minute battle. He seized four breaks out of seven chances and unleashed 42 winners to Rublev’s 22. It certainly was a nail-biter! However, not only did he faced his opponents but the pressure under the roaring crowd was another challenge he overcame!

Felix Auger-Aliassime gives a shoutout to the NYC crowd

After his big win over Zverev, Felix was asked what makes the US Open so special. He said, “New York and Australia, I mean, just hardcourts… for me, obviously, I think it’s better. I can play well on grass, too, and clay. But, over the years, I do feel that we also play majority of events on hard courts and it suits my game.” He added, “I think that’s one of the reasons and then I don’t know what else. Tough to say. I mean, do I like the crowd’s energy or the city? I don’t believe in all that stuff. I’m more practical and like, ‘Okay, how am I playing? So, for sure, I feel like these conditions suit me well.”

If you’re new to the tennis scene, the US Open crowd is known for being loud and lively—nothing like the hushed Wimbledon atmosphere. Jacob Fearnley even admitted he was “off guard” by the noise in New York. For many players, that energy can be overwhelming, but for Auger-Aliassime? It’s just another day at the office.

Early on, Auger-Aliassime’s runs into the later rounds of Grand Slams were almost expected. From Wimbledon 2021, when he was just 20, through the 2022 Australian Open, he reached the quarterfinals or better three times in a row. That’s the last time he made it that far—until now.

This week, he’s back in the quarterfinals, ready to face No. 8 seed Alex de Minaur on Wednesday. Felix holds a 2-1 edge over de Minaur, with both wins coming on hard courts since 2022. If he wins, a rematch with world No. 1 and defending champ Jannik Sinner could be next.

The pressure to shine never fades, but will his rituals and momentum carry him to two more surprise wins? Drop your thoughts below and stay tuned to the EssentiallySports Live Blog for all the latest!