By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday October 16, 2022
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime eased past JJ Wolf on Sunday in Florence for his second title of the season.
Photo Source: TTV
Once reputed to be a not-ready-for-primetime player, Felix Auger-Aliassime has shed that skin and stepped into a new realm in 2022.
On Sunday the Canadian won his second career title – and second of 2022 – and once again dispelled the notion that he wasn’t a big match player.
Auger-Aliassime defeated first-time finalist JJ Wolf, 6-4 6-4, in one hour and 41 minutes.
The Canadian’s “previous” reputation had been hard-earned: he had lost his first eight ATP finals and, for a while, it seemed like he may never break through to win a title on tour.
But this season the 2022 year old has won two of three ATP finals and changed the narrative surrounding him considerably.
“There’s no magic,” the level-headed Auger-Aliassime said after the final. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
“I’m really happy because I came here as the first seed and I was the favorite in all my matches on paper,” he said. “It’s never easy to come out and win my four matches with confidence and conviction – it’s really good for my confidence.”
After an early trade of breaks in which both players displayed the nerves that typically come with Sunday tennis, Auger-Aliassime took control against the American with a second break to lead 2-1 in set one.
It was all the 22-year-old would need to snag the set – he dropped just four points on serve in his next four service games.
“I had a good start in the first game and then a bit of a tight service game, but after I felt like I was playing really good tennis, serving unbelievable – probably the best all week, so just really happy right now,” Auger-Aliassime said.
“Every final is tough. It’s the two best players of the week. Of course you try to win more than you lose, in finals, and that’s why I came out today to give everything. We had some very tough rallies in the second set, feeling tough physically, but you keep pushing and try to keep the level high.”
There were no nerves in the second set as Auger-Aliassime tapped the accelerator and dominated on serve. He made 67 percent of first serves in the set, and claimed 16 of 18 of those points.
After a break for 3-2 he was never tested on serve and finished off his satisfying victory with a routine service hold as he hammered his 11th ace of the contest on championship point.
“It never gets old, winning – it always feels like the first time,” said a joyful Auger-Aliassime, who improves to 15-4 indoors in 2022. “It’s so special to win, especially here – I had a fantastic week, and it’s been amazing.
“I’m really happy because I came here as the first seed and I was the favorite in all my matches on paper,” he said. “It’s never easy to come out and win my four matches with confidence and conviction – it’s really good for my confidence.”
Rising in the Race
Thanks to his victory Auger-Aliassime rises in the Race to Turin. He vaults ahead of Taylor Fritz and into the last qualification spot – he now leads the American by 180 points with plenty of tennis between now and the last week of qualification at the Paris Masters.
Here are the current standings:
Alcaraz, 6460 (qualified)
Nadal, 5810 (qualified)
Ruud, 4930 (qualified)
Tsitsipas, 4885(qualified)
Medvedev, 3555
Rublev, 3440
Auger-Aliassime, 3065
Fritz, 2885
Hurkacz, 2725
Djokovic, 2720 (qualified)