WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 20, 2021

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/F. Auger-Aliassime

6-2, 5-7, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A tough one out there today, three-set match, almost three hours. I just wanted to know, I'm curious, the injury you suffered to your back, are you able to confirm exactly what it was?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, I don't know. I don't know. Just tension, I think. Yeah, just tension in lower back and my psoas.

So, yeah, I didn't see it coming, just beginning of the second set. Yeah, so, I mean, just made things a lot more difficult than they were already.

Q. The medical timeout helped you a little bit win that second set. Are you able to explain what happened in the third set?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, I was feeling fine after, and then -- I mean, fine. A little bit better, and then I played poorly. It's frustrating. I played poorly the start of the third, and anyway, after, yeah, I mean, it was just a horrible third set. Nothing more to say about that.

Q. What was the biggest challenge that Stefanos and his game presented tonight?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I thought he served well. He always does. You know, he covered the court well. He was solid. Again, for some reason again, I couldn't find a way to just, you know, put that extra ball in and just, you know, finish the points well.

Every time was just me missing the forehand and rushing and, you know, yeah, kind of doing the same mistake as I did earlier this year. It's really frustrating. I thought I could really do better. I'm disappointed.

Q. Do you have any sense, is there something that happens when that creeps into your game? Is it later? Is it pressure-type moments? Do you have any sense of that?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, I don't know. I mean, I felt good. But, yeah, for some reason, I don't know. I think I just have to work, be better.

Yeah, he creates problem against me. You know, he's improved a lot, and I need to look myself in the mirror and, you know, and see what I can improve.

You know, these type of matches make we want to go back and be better, because I want to be winning these type of matches in the future and, yeah, I will do what I have to do to get there.

Q. Despite the loss tonight, a positive week I would think overall. Do you have a sense of what you want to work on now that you have a bit of time before the US Open? What do you want to focus on the practice court, off the practice court, that sort of thing?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, of course, I mean, recover now, you know, from this tournament. Had a bit of tension in my body today.

So recovery is really important, and then to be fresh when US Open starts. Then just trying to, you know, keep working in the right direction. Of course I think stay fresh but work on the things that I have been working like my serve. You know, my forehand has been better this week overall, even on the backhand side also.

Yeah, just keep working with precision and intensity, and get ready for New York.

Q. You are confident the physical issue you were dealing with tonight isn't going to be anything that could be problematic moving forward?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, not at all. I'll be fine in one or two days. Just a bit of tension, and I should be fine, yeah, by the start of next week.