He’s just one win away from the biggest title of his career. Yes, we’re talking about Felix Auger-Aliassime. The 25-year-old Canadian defeated Alexander Bublik 7-6(3), 6-4 on November 1 to reach the final of the Rolex Paris Masters. The win also marked his second Masters 1000 final but also kept his ATP Finals dream alive ahead of the Turin event starting November 8. But once it was over, Auger-Aliassime couldn’t hide the joy that had been building inside him.

“I’m so happy. A Masters 1000 final sounds so good. You don’t play those finals every week,” Felix said after the match. “Hopefully I can go all the way and get the title. You get into a Masters and every match is tough—it’s stacked. You’re always kind of curious to see how your game is gonna match up. I have deep self-confidence in my game, I know what I can do against the best players in the world, but you still have to go and execute. Today I did really well and I am happy with the result.” But it tested both players mentally.

Every player fired an ace in the first set, with no breaks in serve. Felix Auger-Aliassime took charge in the tiebreak, winning six of the final seven points. The second set was a different story. It began with Bublik breaking to love, flashing his unpredictability. But in the very next game, frustration crept in. After giving up the break, Bublik smashed his racket to pieces, repeatedly slamming it on the ground until it bent out of shape. The meltdown earned him a code violation. But the real sportsmanship came next. When play was about to resume, Felix noticed pieces of the broken frame still on the baseline.

Instead of waiting for the ball kids, Felix Auger-Aliassime grabbed a towel and cleaned the debris himself as the crowd cheered and laughed.  The chaos didn’t stop there. Felix remained patient and broke back again, but Bublik broke again right away to take a 3-2 lead. The result was five games in a row for the Canadian, who used measured aggression to put an end to the rallies and used an ace to seal the victory in the 96 minutes. However, the true test is yet to come.

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s fight for a second chance

It was among Felix Auger-Aliassime’s best performances of the year in terms of statistics. He struck 31 winners, 17 from his forehand, and converted three of his four break points against one of the biggest servers on tour. With the win, Auger-Aliassime improved to 4-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Bublik and simultaneously replaced Lorenzo Musetti in the final qualification spot for the Nitto ATP Finals.  At La Defense Arena, as the crowd rose to applaud, Felix’s relief was almost visible. After battling injuries and dips in form earlier this season, this run feels like both closure and renewal.

This win meant more than just a place in the final. It also pushed Felix Auger-Aliassime up to No. 8 in the ATP Race to Turin,  the ranking that decides who gets to play at the season-ending ATP Finals. Now, only two men are still fighting for that last spot: Felix, with 3,845 points, and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, with 3,685. If Felix wins the Paris Masters title, he’ll jump to 4,195 points and officially seal his place in Turin. But to do that, he’ll have to get past one more challenge in the final, either Jannik Sinner or Alexander Zverev.  He’s tied 2- 2 with Sinner but lost both matches to him this year. Against Zverev, he trails 3-6, though he did beat the German at the 2025 US Open. The road ahead won’t be easy, but for Felix, it’s exactly the kind of fight he’s been waiting for.