Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime is off to the U.S. Open semifinals for the second time after a wild fourth-set comeback on Wednesday.
The Montreal native rallied from 2-5 down in the fourth set to defeat Australian Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-6 (4). The run matches Auger-Aliassime’s deepest Grand Slam result, equalling his 2021 semifinal at Flushing Meadows.
“Four years ago. It feels like more,” said Auger-Aliassime, who advanced back then when Carlos Alcaraz stopped playing in the quarterfinals with an injured leg muscle. “It was a tough couple of years.”
Auger-Aliassime, the 25th seed, will face the winner of Wednesday’s other quarterfinal between top-ranked Jannik Sinner and 10th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, both of Italy. No. 2 Alcaraz faces No. 7 Novak Djokovic in the other semifinal.
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime rallies to beat de Minaur, advance to U.S. Open semifinals:
Auger-Aliassime advances to U.S. Open semifinals in marathon match
“It’s not over. There’s still some tennis to play and the biggest challenges are yet to come,” Auger-Aliassime said. “That’s what I live for. That’s what I train for.”
The 25-year-old Canadian won three straight games to knot the final set at 5-5. After de Minaur restored his lead at 6-5, Auger-Aliassime dropped just one point to send the set to a tiebreaker.
Up 6-4 and serving for match point, Auger-Aliassime ripped a forehand that de Minaur sent long, prompting the Canadian to raise his racket to an ovation at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Auger-Aliassime was one point from trailing two sets to none when de Minaur led 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker. But Auger-Aliassime erased that set point with a 120 mph ace. That began a run in which he grabbed four of five points to even the contest at a set apiece.
“Just a lot of nerves today, during the whole match. It wasn’t pretty at all times,” Auger-Aliassime said during his on-court interview in Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can to stand here, right now.”
This is the first time Auger-Aliassime has eliminated three seeded players during a single major, adding this victory over No. 8 de Minaur to wins against No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the third round and No. 15 Andrey Rublev in the fourth.
Later Wednesday, third-seeded Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe take on second-seeded Italian duo Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani in women’s doubles semifinal action.
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime talks about love, pressure, purpose & meeting McDavid:
Félix Auger-Aliassime on Love, Pressure, Purpose & meeting Connor McDavid
