AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2022

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/M. Cilic

2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: On to your first quarterfinal at Australian Open, wonderful performance today. How would you reflect on that?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, wonderful to be through. Yeah, just very happy right now. It was not an easy match, not an easy opponent. In the end to be able to come out with a victory is the most important and is the most gratifying.

There was good moments, bad moments in the match, but eventually to win in four sets the way I did is good, and giving myself a chance to move on is what I'm really happy about.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. That's three straight Grand Slam quarterfinals you have made now. Can you talk about what you've learned about navigating that first week at a slam and sort of what you think you'll need to do to go even further?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I know it might be boring but I really take it day by day. You know, I don't come -- of course I come now into slams knowing I have done in the past, my goal is to go far. But, you know, the first match comes around and you play a tough opponent, you know, you play somebody who is trying to beat you and you have to find a way to win.

I was down two sets to one in the first match, so at the time I was just trying to get through that one and then again and again. You kind of just repeat that.

I think knowing also in the back of my mind that I have the stamina, the mentality to last in matches and tournaments, of course it helps me to know that, you know, I can go deep in these type of tournaments.

Q. You have obviously got Canadian company in the quarterfinals. Did you watch Denis yesterday? Did it inspire you at all? Does it help?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I caught the end a little bit. It's great, was really happy for me, great victory. I'm just glad that we have been able to be consistent. It's a great showing for Canada. I mean, with the win also at the ATP Cup and moving on here, both of us being in the quarterfinals for the first time in Canadian history, it's a great achievement for both of us.

At the end, again, I hope it gives the idea, you know, people back home that this is possible. I mean, we have done it. I truly believe that other Canadians can do that, as well, even though we're not originally a country of tennis, I think now we really are. We have shown that over and over again.

Q. Is there any healthy rivalry between you and Denis?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: In a way, yeah. Just like we're motivating each other. Not directly but just knowing that, you know, he's doing great and I back it up and win a match myself (smiling).

I think it's better for us than if, let's say, one of us was not there. I think it also spreads the pressure a little bit, you know, to have the two of us. There is also Milos and Vasek and other players. So it's great to have countrymen that's doing well at the same time as you. You know, we live amazing moments in team events as well, so I think that wouldn't happen if there was only one of us.

No, I mean, we keep a good relationship but at the same time we really push each other in a good way.

Q. You face Daniil Medvedev next. Is it fair to say that to beat Medvedev you need to kind of disrupt him? We saw Maxime Cressy do that today, serve and volleying. Wondering how you think you could disrupt him in the next round after he's beaten you a couple of times recently?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, that's one thing you can do. But of course, you know, I would say the first time we played was a while ago. We are both very different players, but the last two times, one was last week or two weeks ago, and US Open, yeah, I need to try to change things up. I have nothing to lose, and to try and to do something differently or to try and, you know, just first, you know, to play good and then to dig deep.

I can try to mix up things as much as I want. The reality is he's the best player almost in the world now. He's the champion here. I need to, you know, play a great match. I need to be able to give a great effort both mentally and physically to go through.

Q. Your past two opponents actually, it's been sort of like avenging losses in the past. Dan Evans beat you in a final last year and you were 0-3 against Marin Cilic. Do you take that into consideration when you're going against a player like Cilic, who you've had a tough time in the past? Is that something you're thinking about as you go into the match?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Not in any negative way. More as a motivating factor.

Yeah, the last time we played in that final in Stuttgart, he played a great match. He's really, one of the toughest players to play on grass. It was really tough. He served well.

But, yeah, today was just motivating more than anything to know that, okay, like, this is it, this is a good chance to see how I have improved and against a player I have lost to in the past. I'm glad with the way I handled it, the way I was able to change the scenario.

You know, honestly it feels really good, yeah, of course to be through, but to beat a player you have lost to in the past just also proves to yourself that you have done improvements, you have become a better player, and I like to believe that.

Q. Just a follow-up on that, you're going into that same scenario now against the world No. 2, Daniil Medvedev. When you face players like this caliber, the No. 2 player in the world who has won a Grand Slam, do you treat it as kind of like a litmus test, like a measuring stick match to see where your game is at compared to the best in the world?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, in one way yes, but another way, it's a quarterfinal match, and you try to just focus on what I can do well to try and win. I need to play a great match, need to serve well.

Yeah, first, you know, you try to win. Whoever is in front of you, you try to get through. If I do that, of course, then, you know, it raises the confidence that, you know, I can beat these type of players.

But, I mean, it's far from done and, you know, he's the best player almost, outside of Djokovic who is No. 1, he's been the best in recent times. So, you know, he's gonna give me a hard time, and I know I'll be ready. I need to be ready to give myself the best chance to win.