Can you hear Felix Auger-Aliassime coming back to the top? He’s in the US Open quarters
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime completes a brilliant return to form with an upset win over Andrey Rublev (7-5, 6-3, 6-4), setting up a quarter-final clash with Alex de Minaur.
Félix Auger-Aliassime, US Open 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 27, staged a masterful performance on Monday to pull off a sort of upset over Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the world No. 15, advancing to the US Open quarter-finals with a commanding 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
The win brilliantly confirmed the return to form for Auger-Aliassime, building on his previous round’s victory against Alexander Zverev.
The victory marks a significant moment in his season, as he reaches the US Open quarter-finals for just the second time in his career. First time was 2021, when he reached the semis. The 25th seed now advances to a highly anticipated quarter-final clash against Australia’s Alex de Minaur, who needed only 93 minutes to qualify.
7-1 Rublev before the match!
Entering the match, the talking points revolved around Rublev’s commanding 7-1 lead in their head to head rivalry (including 2024 Madrid Masters 1000 final) and his relentless pursuit of a first Grand Slam semi-final.
However, depsite a slow start showing Rublev leading 3-1 and 4-2, Auger-Aliassime’s serve happened to become particularly effective, as he hit 13 aces and won an impressive 83% of his first-serve points along the match. By comparison, Rublev struggled, landing only 54% of his first serves in, against Auger-Aliassime’s 66%.
The narrative of the match was defined by Auger-Aliassime’s offensive firepower. He struck a remarkable 42 winners, more than double Rublev’s tally of 22, showcasing his ability to dictate rallies and find decisive angles.
This aggression was complemented by a clinical performance on break points. Auger-Aliassime broke the Russian’s serve four times, converting crucial opportunities throughout the match, while facing only a single break on his own serve. The statistical dominance painted a clear picture of the Canadian’s superiority.
