US OPEN

September 10, 2021

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/F. Auger-Aliassime

6-4, 7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on the match.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, well, I think Daniil was the better player today on the court for sure. I mean, it still shows things that I can improve in every aspect of my game.

I had to play my best level and even better if I wanted to get a chance to win today. I didn't do it long enough. I think, yeah, overall Daniil was the better player.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was your plan of attack? Why is he so difficult?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, honestly in let's say the first set and until 5-3, 5-4 in the second set, I was playing as good as I could play. There was one game in the first set where I played great rallies, then I just missed whenever I was trying to come in. That's all he needed. That's all he needed to break me.

I thought he served amazing, I mean, the whole match, but especially in the first set. I didn't get even to 30 I think.

My plan was just to accept the rally, of course, because you know he's going to put a lot of balls back, and don't hesitate to come in behind my shots, behind my serve. I think I did. I could have served also better today, but at the same time it was not so bad.

Yeah, until the end of the second, I think I played okay. But he was just, yeah, playing a bit too good.

Q. What do you think the biggest challenges are when you're facing him? What surprises you in his game?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: His serve, I didn't get a chance much. Just in that second set where he double-faulted on breakpoint. After when he was back at 5-4. Even at 5-2 when he served, he served a good game, then he broke me. I felt like he was back playing his best level.

He didn't give me much openings. Against a player like that, you don't really have room for mistakes, room for losing your focus, which I did at the end of the second. He took advantage of it and I didn't get another chance after that.

Q. How tricky is it with him where he's standing so far behind the baseline?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It's tough. I mean, when you're serving, you don't see as much openings. Mostly you just feel like, yeah, he's going to put one more ball back every time, he's going to make you work.

But I think I played the way, I mean, I should have played in that second set, when I was up a break, I felt like up 5-2, I was playing as good as I could play, coming in when I needed to, mixing up with serve and volleys.

It's just unfortunate I couldn't close out the second set. I felt like, yeah, I was playing good. It would have been tough after to win even two other sets. At least if I gave myself a shot, it would have been more satisfying.

Q. How are you weighing being satisfied with this great run you had while also being hungry to put yourself in that position again and go further?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I mean, first of all now it's tough to lose. At the same time, I mean, I've always tried to accept the reality in my career. As much as I would have wanted to win today, I didn't. Now I need to accept the reality, which is I lost. I can do better, and for sure I will.

Now it's time to rest and get back to work. That's all I can do really. But, of course, it's a positive week. It could have been different. In the end things are moving in the right direction.

Q. You mentioned Daniil's serve. What is it in particular about his serve that gave you trouble today?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, probably the precision mostly. There are players out there that serve even harder. The precision was, yeah, crazy at times. Also served well whenever he needed to. That's one thing that we don't always pay attention as much as we should. You have great servers out there in practice or matches. Whenever you have a Love-30 or 30-All, the guy serves a great serve, it's really tough. So there's that also.

He hits all the spots pretty well. Especially the T serve on deuce today was as good as it can get.

Q. You are a hundred points away from 10th place in the ATP ranking. Possibly you have a run at the ATP Final in Turin. How big of a goal are these two major milestones for you?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, it's important for sure. I think now making the semifinals here, I've put myself in a good position to attain this goal. So now I'm going to try to, yeah, push and keep my focus on my game, trying to play better, trying to play good matches every tournament. Yeah, we'll see what I can do.

But definitely it's a very good and healthy motivation.

Q. You're projected to rise to 11th in the rankings. This season you had a couple milestones, semifinal and quarterfinal at Wimbledon. How have you felt about your progress in general for the 2021 season?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, it's good. Especially post-clay season it's been really good. The whole season actually I felt like I was playing good. Not quite always getting the results I wanted to, but kept believing that I was playing good tennis, kept pushing. Now I feel like I'm in the position that I wanted to be at the start of the year.

Like you said, the year is not over. I need to keep going, keep my focus. Hopefully I'll be happy about myself, with the effort and work I've done, when this season finishes.

Q. At the start of the summer, if you'd been told you'd make the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the semifinals at the US Open, how do you think you would have reacted? How much do these two big results make you feel moving forward?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, it's good. It's good for sure. It's great. A final would have been even better, of course.

No, it's positive. Of course, again, it's good work. I mean, I'm happy with the level I've been playing at times, with the results I've had. At the same time I feel like I deserve to be in that position. I work for that. Now I need to keep pushing in the right direction so I go even a little bit higher.