CITI OPEN

August 5, 2021

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

J. BROOKSBY/F. Auger-Aliassime

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tough match today. Do you feel like the slow start maybe cost you the match?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, yeah, I had a really tough start on my part. Nothing crazy. I mean, I missed an easy forehand, but then, you know, that's acceptable. Then after, just, he played well. He hit one good return and he caught a line, and then, you know, the game was gone.

But I guess it's okay. It happens. You can start a match like this. But I felt like, you know, I had just chances to come back. It's okay to take one break. But I should have been able to come back with the chances I had at some point in that first set. I felt like I recovered well. I was playing better.

Then, no, honestly, credits to him. Overall he played a good match. I think he's going to be dangerous in the future, definitely. You know, he has everything. He's very solid.

Yeah, on my part, I'll have to see what I could have done in certain areas. I fought today with what I had, but overall I think he played a better match both sets.

Q. On that same note, when you're playing a guy like Jenson, who has such an unconventional game style, not a lot of pace to work with, how different is that from your perspective and what are you trying to do to maintain your rhythm throughout the match?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, I mean, he has very solid groundstrokes on both sides. Maybe in some parts I could have been more aggressive to take the net earlier to make the rallies shorter maybe, and, yeah, just be able to play good rallies back to back to back, like, three points in a row.

I felt like I played one good point and then kind of two points would slip away easily, and I just felt like I made him comfortable, even though he was playing well, I just felt like I helped him be more and more comfortable, play with confidence, and at the end of the day, you know, he did good.

He did really good to keep on serving well, keep putting pressure on me. Honestly, I just felt like he was playing better and better as the match was going on. I didn't feel like I gave up on anything, but, yeah, he was playing good. Definitely a tricky player to keep an eye on.

Q. With your tournament now done in D.C., how much importance do you place on the National Bank Open coming up and being able to come home and play in front of some fans here in Canada, specifically in Toronto, for you?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, for sure, Canada is always an important stop for me in the calendar. Of course two years ago I had my debut in Montreal. That was a very good memory. I have always played I think well in Toronto, always enjoyed my time there.

You know, it's fun. It comes with a level of stress or with excitement, but it's also very positive and I'm privileged to be in that situation where I can play a Masters 1000 at home in front of our home fans.

It's a big tournament a lot of kids come around to look at, and it's definitely a tournament I enjoyed watching when I was a kid. It's going to be a good time. I hope to play a good tournament there.

Q. Can you share if we can expect to see you in the doubles draw as well, and if so, do you have a partner already lined up for the event?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yes, actually a good friend of mine, he got a wildcard, Alexei Calano (phonetic), French Canadian. He was here with me practicing this week and in quallies. Just got out of college, up-and-coming Canadian player that I think can play well in the future. I hope him really all the best.

We were fortunate to get a wildcard together. He's one of my longtime good friends, best friends, so it's going to be nice to get to play with my best friend.

Q. You have always seemed to be pretty good at sort of keeping losses in perspective and moving on. Has it always been that way for you? Is there something you focus on that allows you to just move on to the next event and refocus?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, it's never been easy. It's still not easy, but it's a learning process. I think it's going to be like this all my career. I'm going to be in many different positions in my career.

I'm still of course a young player, kind of favorite in tournaments like this now, and the future might be even more. Losses are never going to be easy to take, but I think, you know, I have become more and more mature and humble with wins and losses.

You know, it's part of my career. There is so many matches played during the year, and you try your best, but at the end of the day you have to accept the outcome. You have to accept the outcome, move on, and stay positive. I think it's what I try to do.

It's not always been easy, but, yeah, I try to force myself to have that perspective and really lock in on that.

Q. One thing about Jenson, I'm trying to think of who he sort of reminds me of. Whose game does he remind you of, the way he makes other players uncomfortable with his style?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I don't know. That's a good question. I think he has his own unique game. I think every player is a little bit different in their way. You know, of course he's young, my age. We still have -- he has things he can improve, I have things I can improve, but I feel like looking at his game, you know, pretty good serve, good return. I feel like he has a great backhand. He can go cross, down the line, however he wants.

So he can also mix it up with dropshots you don't see so often these days. He seems to have good hands. Yeah, pretty complete game but unique to him. It's going to be interesting to see what he's able to produce in the future.