Top seed Auger-Aliassime cruises past frustrated Fils into Montpellier semifinals
Felix Auger-Aliassime won against Arthur Fils 6-4, 6-2 on Friday evening and will play the winner of the match between Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, the No 4 seed, and Frenchman Titouan Droguet in the next round
Félix Auger-Aliassime, Montpellier 2026 | © Open Occitanie / JB Autissier
Felix Auger-Aliassime moved one step closer to defending his title at the Open Occitanie on Friday evening, securing a 6-4, 6-2 quarterfinal victory over a volatile Arthur Fils. The world No 8 and top seed in Montpellier displayed the poise of a defending champion, ruthlessly exploiting the physical and emotional fatigue of the young Frenchman who was competing in his first tournament following a six-month injury layoff.
The 25-year-old Canadian, who arrived in France looking to erase the memory of a first-round retirement at the Australian Open due to cramping, was clinical on serve and return. Auger-Aliassime secured three breaks of serve throughout the match, never allowing Fils to settle into the aggressive baseline rhythm that had defined his earlier wins this week.
After navigating a competitive opening set, the top seed accelerated in the second, leaving his opponent searching for answers that never came.
26 unforced errors by Fils
For the 21-year-old Fils, the match was a stark reminder of the mental toll of the professional tour. Despite a promising start to his comeback week, which included gritty wins over Ugo Blanchet 7-6, 7-5 and Valentin Royer 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, the world No 42 saw his composure evaporate under the roof of the Court Patrice-Dominguez.
he breaking point arrived in the second set; trailing 4-1 after a series of errors, Fils surrendered to a moment of pure “anger,” violently throwing his rackets to the court in a display of visible desperation.
The statistics told a grim story for the French No 6 seed, who finished the match with 26 unforced errors. His return to competition after a stress fracture in his back had been a success until Friday, but the lack of match play showed as Auger-Aliassime’s relentless depth forced him into high-risk shots.
“I tried to stay very focused on my game because I knew Arthur would be dangerous, especially with the home crowd,” Auger-Aliassime said during his on-court interview. “He has had a great week coming back from injury, but I felt I played the big points well today and kept the pressure on his serve.”
Auger-Aliassime now advances to the semifinals where he will face the winner of the late-night clash between the fourth-seeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor and French wildcard Titouan Droguet.
