Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Australian Open run ended in heartbreak with a cramp-forced retirement against Nuno Borges, but his momentum has roared back. The Canadian rediscovered his rhythm indoors, delivering a commanding title defense in Montpellier and reaffirming his reputation as one of the ATP Tour’s most formidable forces under the roof.

Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated veteran Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the Open Occitanie final. He won 6-3, 7-6(4) in a strong and controlled performance.

The Canadian fired 13 aces during the match. He also won 87% of his first-serve points. The victory came in one hour and 35 minutes.

This win marked the ninth ATP title of his career. It moved him past Milos Raonic for the most tour-level titles by a Canadian man in the Open Era.

With the triumph, Auger-Aliassime climbed to No. 6 in the ATP Rankings. He celebrated the milestone with visible joy as he lifted the trophy.

His path to the title was impressive. He defeated Stan Wawrinka, Arthur Fils, Titouan Droguet, and Mannarino to secure back-to-back titles in Montpellier.

The achievement also set a new national record. He now stands alone as the Canadian with the most men’s singles titles in the Open Era.

Auger-Aliassime has also dominated indoors in recent years. He has won 89 tour-level indoor matches this decade, more than any other player.

Now, he heads to the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam with renewed confidence. The event has seen several major withdrawals.

Carlos Alcaraz withdrew after his Australian Open campaign. Alexander Zverev and Jack Draper also pulled out, leaving Alex de Minaur and Auger-Aliassime as the top seeds and strong contenders for the title.

However, before heading to the Netherlands, his victory was set to be career-defining, as he later revealed his next career goal.

Felix Auger-Aliassime aims to win a Grand Slam next

Felix Auger-Aliassime controlled the match from the start and defeated Adrian Mannarino in straight sets on Sunday.

He began the final with great intensity. The 25-year-old won the first eight points of the match to take early control. His aggressive play put immediate pressure on Mannarino.

Auger-Aliassime maintained his momentum throughout the first set. He secured his second break of serve in the ninth game. That break allowed him to close out the opening set comfortably.

The second set was much tighter and centered around strong serving from both players. Neither player gave away many chances. The contest remained evenly balanced deep into the set.

At 5-4, Auger-Aliassime created the first break point of the set at 30/40. That opportunity also served as a championship point. Mannarino saved it with a powerful unreturnable serve.

The set eventually moved into a tie-break. From 2/4 down, the Canadian responded brilliantly. He won five consecutive points to seal the match and claim the title.

With the victory, Auger-Aliassime now leads their H2H series 2-1. The win also highlighted his steady progress on the ATP Tour. His confidence appears to be growing with each tournament.

Speaking earlier in the week about his schedule, he explained that his focus is on major events with proper recovery periods. Reflecting on his progress after the ATP 250 triumph, he said, “I’m progressing normally in a tennis player’s career. I’ve won several ATP 250s, some ATP 500s, and as my career advances, I aim to take that next step. I want to win some Masters 1000 and Grand Slam titles”.

He also spoke about his targets for the season. “I hope to achieve this within this year. I feel I’ve improved in terms of tennis, but also in terms of physical preparation. Tennis has become a very explosive sport, and you need to be at 100% to strive for the maximum,” explained the Canadian.

After a disappointing start to the first Grand Slam of the season, Auger-Aliassime now turns his attention to the Rotterdam Open. He has been placed in the bottom half of the draw. He will face Alexei Popyrin in the first round.

The Canadian has strong memories of the Dutch event. He finished runner-up in 2020 and won the title two years later. 

With confidence high, he will aim to deliver another strong run and compete for the trophy once again.