AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2023

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

J. LEHECKA/F. Auger-Aliassime

4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press conference of Felix Auger-Aliassime. Felix, a very close battle today. Unfortunately not the result you were hoping for. What do you think made the difference in the end?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I thought he played better than me overall. Of course, it's little details, little points.

I played poorly in the two tiebreaks, but I think from the second set on, yeah, he was a little bit better. Even in the two sets that were tiebreaks, I was winning barely any points on the return. So when it got to the tiebreak I felt like he had the edge over me, and that was enough for me today for him to win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you just describe the challenge to facing Jiri? What's your impression of his game?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, I know him for more than a year now. He's been playing really good, and rising in the rankings.

I remember seeing him last year around same time in Rotterdam. He made the semifinals, and he was playing really well.

I'm sure we will see a lot of him in the future. And again, he's been playing good. Today he played well, serving well. I wish him the best of luck, yeah, next round.

Q. What do you think about your performance today?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: My performance? It's been tough, a tough week for me, to be honest. I gave everything I had. I had some good moments. The first set was good. I was serving well today.

But too many parts of my game were not at the level they need to be in order to win against players like him and the other players in the draw.

It's okay. I mean, it's how it is. I'm proud of my effort. I gave everything. But my level isn't where I want it to be.

Q. You had at least one practice with Jiri. Can you describe what you think about him as a personality, as a person?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, we didn't talk much. We don't know each other well. But from what I have seen him around and acting on the court tells a lot. I think he has a good head on his shoulders, he seems like calm. Young player, not a lot of years on the tour already. To be in those moments and to be cool under pressure, play well the right points, serve well to close the match, it's a good sign of a good player.

Yeah, I'm sure for those reasons he will be a good player in the future.

Q. Never really got going your top level the whole tournament. Can you explain that or figure it out?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, it's been tough. I mean, yeah, outside of just little moments here and there, like, in third round, like third set. You know, today there was of course glimpse of good level, but I didn't feel like it was as consistent as it's been lately or when I play good.

Yeah, I need to see what happened really or, I mean, I know a little bit, but there's nothing to do anymore now. I mean, this tournament is done. I tried my best. I'm going to try to see. I mean, not I'm going to try, I'm going to just recover and look forward to the next tournaments of the year. That's it.