By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 17, 2022
Felix Auger-Aliassime was able to realize a lifelong dream on Thursday at the Open 13 in Marseille – playing the man he idolized as a youth.
The Canadian eased past 36-year-old Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(3), 6-2, but the real victory was getting to share the court with the former World No.5 and holder of 18 ATP titles.
"8 year old Felix had dreams about this match,” Auger-Aliassime tweeted after the match. "Amazing to share the court with my childhood idol. Thank you for being an inspiration, Jo.”
After the match as the two exchanged a handshake and hug at the net, Auger-Aliassime said he was happy to tell Tsonga how he felt about him in person, and Tsonga replied by telling him that he can go to the top.
"It was a special moment,” Auger-Aliassime said of his encounter with the 36-year-old. “When the match was coming to the end, I knew it was going to be a special moment, a full-circle moment. He was my top idol growing up and I saw myself in him at times.
“The other great players I couldn’t relate to them. They seemed they were from another planet but Jo seemed like a big brother. I told him how much he was my idol when I was growing up and he told me to aim for the stars and not be shy and I can go to the top.”
Auger-Aliassime will face Ilya Ivashka in the quarterfinals at Marseille. He is riding a six-match winning streak after claiming his first ATP title at Rotterdam last week.