AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2022

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/D. Evans

6-4, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Well done. Another round of 16 in a slam. How pleased were you with your performance today?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I mean, it's tough to be more pleased than today's match of course. We had a tight first set. Actually, he had breakpoints before me, and sometimes you're fortunate, I was able to put that return on breakpoint and, you know, make him miss the swing volley and then the first set was done like this.

But just knowing that I was serving so well throughout the match and that I was feeling the ball well, I just knew that if I could keep going, good things would happen. Of course I didn't expect that score, so I think that's why -- and I was always staying focused and ready for him to play well and be tricky.

So just very happy with my overall performance and happy to be through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Two very long, tough matches in the first two rounds. This one was quite different. Different style of matchup or you personally feeling better? What parts of your game were you most pleased with?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I think, serving good. I felt a bit more loose and relaxed in the first two rounds maybe also, so I was able to get a little bit more, you know, power and hitting through the court better than my first two matches.

But, I don't know. He beat me pretty good a year ago in the finals here, so the matchup, I expected something very tough. It was not easy. At the end it was just me really staying focused, and I think once I had the advantage, never looking back, kept serving well, kept giving myself chances on the return.

So, yeah, of course it's better to win like this for the future of the tournament, but I felt good physically today and I was ready to play more if I had to. And, no, that's why I think we did some good work as a team to be ready for any outcome.

Q. On the match from last year, how much did you actually think about that when planning for this one and how relevant is it?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I didn't think much. I completely missed my match last year. Yeah, that was a regret last year that I played really poorly in that final, but I knew I was a better player than when I played even last year, but we are at a completely different stage. I'm a better player overall now.

I knew that what happened in that final last year wouldn't happen again, at least. But I was ready for it to be physically tough, mentally, tactical, as well. I was ready for any outcome, but I think that the performance that I had against him last year didn't cross my mind at any point this year, yeah.

Q. Well done. Obviously you finished last year where you're quarterfinals Wimbledon, semifinals US Open, obviously putting yourself right in the sweet spot really deep in slams. How are you feeling confidence-wise compared to that as to whether you're ready to go another level? Do you allow yourself to think that far ahead?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I try not to, but we're all humans at the end of the day. I mean, like anybody, you project yourself, you have your goals, your objectives in the future, but I really try to keep myself in the present, try to enjoy the moment, try to enjoy my time on the court.

At the end, you know, putting myself in let's say semifinals like I did in US Open is never easy. I came through two tough matches that I could have lost in the first two rounds here.

You know, I think nothing is granted. Nothing is easy. It's not like you are just granted a semifinal pass in the future. So I have to grind, I have to win every match and deserve my position to be playing in semifinals, eventually in a final again. It's never going to be easy.

Q. I wanted to ask about the experience you had of getting the winning point at the ATP Cup. You were the one who did it. How different did that match feel to your own individual finals that you played and do you think that experience will help you when you find yourself in a final again?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: We'll see. I mean, the future will tell. But that's so, like, I don't know, that's like who knows? I don't have like, I don't know, crystal ball to see in the future. I mean, honestly, yeah, I mean, it's unfortunate I couldn't win a final so far. That one I played really well. I was ready to really, you know, push and I really wanted that point for the team, for myself.

Of course it's good for my confidence. It's good for the future. But it's not going to be relevant to my next final. The next final will be a different opponent, different court, different match. I'll just have to do everything to try and win it.

For my personal confidence, yes, of course, winning these type of matches helps me feel better about my game and about my head, for sure.

Q. This is something like your fifth fourth round in six slams. What are the important things you know now about making deep runs into the second week that you didn't know in 2020 before you did it?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I think you just feel more in your place. It's like everything in life, when you break new grounds, you don't feel, let's say, as comfortable, or you kind of feel out of your comfort zone. Now of course playing more and more Grand Slams and I have gone, you know, to semifinals, I feel like, I feel more in my place.

I also know that matches are long. You have to stay relaxed, stay composed, stay calm, because you know there is going to be opportunities to come back. We saw it in the first round. So really, I think I'm just more relaxed and more composed and have better self-confidence that I can go into second week, I can go into quarters or more.

So for sure, I mean, yeah, past experiences, what they do is just to give more confidence but they don't grant you any wins.

Q. I hope everyone forgives me, and you too, but I know you're a good friend of Matteo Berrettini, and I would like you to tell me, yesterday Berrettini played two tiebreakers versus Alcaraz, he made 17 points against 8. Then I found out that when he played Medvedev and Djokovic, he always lost to them seven times, but when he played the tiebreakers he won two against Medvedev and two against Djokovic. When he played you, also he won a tiebreaker. You may not remember, but he did.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I don't. (Laughter.)

Q. So tell me, I mean, what that means? I mean, does it mean that when he plays tiebreakers he's almost unbeatable or what? Sorry about that. Sorry about that.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I mean, honestly, that's a wonderful question. Honestly you really are making me laugh. This is good (smiling).

Wow. I mean, Matteo, I mean, of course he's a great server. He's one of the best servers on the tour right now. Any time you have a great serve you put a lot of pressure on the opponent coming to the tiebreaks.

Now, I mean, I watched last night. You know, at some point it could go either way. It was really tight, but Matteo ended up playing better, serving better, so he deserved to win. Of course I'm not surprised that Matteo has a good record in tiebreaks with the way he serves and the way he plays.