"I have everything at my disposal to win these kinds of matches," Auger-Aliassime remains positive after his US Open semifinal defeat
Félix Auger-Aliassime played his second Grand Slam semifinal this Friday evening, and his second at the US Open after the one he lost to Daniil Medvedev in 2021.
This time, the Canadian faced world number one Jannik Sinner, and, despite winning the second set, the 27th-ranked player fell in four sets (6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4).
The 25-year-old player reflected on his defeat in a press conference but also wanted to focus on the positives from his two weeks in New York, during which he successively eliminated Zverev, Rublev, and De Minaur.
"I played much better and served better than in Cincinnati. Before that match in Cincinnati, we hadn't faced each other in three years. It was like it took me by surprise, in a way. We hadn't practiced together since our last match in 2022.
Watching someone play is one thing, but being on the court with them, seeing how they hit the ball at the speed they do, is another. That had an impact on my game.
But today, I knew what to expect. Jannik (Sinner) started very well, but I was confident that as the match progressed, I would raise my level and be competitive.
For now, I just want to take a moment to enjoy the tournament I had and all the positive things I showed. Of course, you build your future based on good performances, and then you progress little by little.
In this match, there were moments when it was balanced. I feel competitive, but the future will tell if I can get closer to his level. I'm happy for many reasons.
But I believe that, beyond my shots and my game, I also feel the confidence, the mindset, and the conviction that I have everything at my disposal to win these kinds of matches, even the toughest ones.
In the quarterfinals (against De Minaur), there were moments when I played worse than today, to put it simply. I always believed that the moment to play another Grand Slam semifinal would come again.
I showed a good level, and I believe that playing these kinds of matches is very rewarding for me. I think I worked on my mental game and it went well this week," Auger-Aliassime assured in recent hours after his elimination, speaking to Punto de Break.
