OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 7, 2024

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

F. COBOLLI/F. Auger-Aliassime

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.

Q. What are the feelings you are experiencing right now?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, I have to be realistic. I knew it was going to be complicated. I had to adjust to the new conditions and whatever happened, happened. Now it's the past, and I will not dwell upon it.

I will get some rest, resume training, and prepare for the rest of the season.

Q. I looked at the statistics. 46% serves in. Do you believe this is what explains the result tonight?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Probably, but also all aspects of the game were not good. There was a huge difference between my level last week in Paris and even the previous weeks with what I did today, especially with my serve. So it really explains this.

Q. Do you feel the change of surface? Does it affect your serve?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: The surface explains it, but also the balls because we change balls at every tournament. I only had two days to get adjusted. I was not able to control the ball, very simply.

Q. Were you surprised by what your opponent proposed, specifically with his serve?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: He played a very good match. He was confident. I played him before, and sometimes if you play in similar conditions, you can continue playing at a high level. So it's all to his credit that he played so well tonight.

Q. How did you feel physically and mentally after everything that happened to you during the past days?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Of course, I can't say I was very fresh, either physically nor mentally. It was quite complicated, but it's not an excuse.

I can't just come here saying, I should have done this and that. I knew it was going to be a challenge. It didn't go my way, but that's the way it is, and now I'm going to move on.

Q. Given the beautiful tennis you played last week and all that you experienced, would you have come to play this tournament if it hadn't been Montreal?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I would certainly have thought about it. I am always very optimistic, but I was not able to be at a good level. If it hadn't been in Montreal, of course, I would have questioned this a bit more.

Q. Maybe you didn't have time to think about it, but how are you going to prepare for the US Open? Are you going to play Cincy, or maybe resting would be a better option before Flushing Meadows?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It's difficult because you always have to strike the right compromise between resting or having matches in competition in the same conditions as this tournament. I have a week before Cincinnati starts.

Normally the good thing would be to play this tournament, but I'll see how I feel in the next days. I will probably go to Cincinnati, but as I get close to the tournament, I'll see how I feel.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Is there anything that impressed you particularly in Flavio's game, anything you didn't expect from him?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: He was serving quite well. Even better than the last time we played. Obviously as a player, you are focused more on yourself, especially like a case like tonight.

I had a lot of problems, so I had to figure out a lot of things, but I have to give him some credit as well. There are some shots that were amazing from him. They were too good, and I think, yeah, the serve and very few mistakes. So, no, he was doing a lot of good things. So I'm not surprised he was in the finals last week.

Q. You didn't feel like maybe you had your serve today. Was that the main thing that felt off, or how would you summarize it?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, the main thing. We have service games, return games on hard courts even more than on clay. You need your serve.

He said 46% first serve. Didn't know exactly. That's probably the lowest I've served in first serves this year with double faults and everything. So, yeah, terrible, terrible night serving.

But it was tough. I just couldn't really control it. I couldn't get my rhythm. I couldn't really be precise in that department. So when the points starts like this, it's tough to get any better.