Felix Auger-Aliassime: 'My first ATP title will come when I deserve it'

Felix Auger-Aliassime will kick off the action at the ATP 250 event in Sofia against Salvatore Caruso on Wednesday. The other young Canadian Denis Shapovalov lost in the first match to Radu Albot, leaving Felix as the highest-ranked player remaining in the draw and one of the title favorites. The Montreal native has been the leader of the pack of the players born in 2000, reaching six ATP titles and still seeking the first ATP trophy. Felix will seek that opportunity in Sofia, hoping to add points to his tally and secure a place in the year-end top-20 for the first time in a career, barely missing to achieve that in 2019. Auger-Aliassime has had some notable wins so far, fighting in the ATP 500 title match and the Masters 1000 semi-final.

Still, he is yet to make that final push and claim the first ATP trophy, squandering the initial six chances and hoping for another one in Sofia or at some point in 2021, when he deserves that. At the Paris Masters, Felix lost to Marin Cilic in the first match, shifting focus to the doubles court and lifting the trophy with Hubert Hurkacz. Felix and Hubert had to dig deep after the opening round, scoring four tight victories over eight top-30 rivals (including world no. 1 Farah) to stand strong and lift the notable shield in only their second ATP tournament. 

Felix Auger-Aliassime is 0-6 in the ATP finals.

"It's a good thing to lift the trophy in Paris. I'm happy that I won a title, regardless of whether it was in singles or doubles. I'm still looking for that first singles title, but it will come when it has to and when I deserve it. I don't have a crystal ball, and every week is a chance for me. You play a tourn; you, you try to win. I've lost some first rounds this year, I've made some finals. It's been up and down at times, and I try my best every week and go all the way. I will do the same here in Sofia this week, but who knows what will happen. I will try to get through this first match and give myself the best chances to win. I'm the 2nd seed, coming to Sofia after three ATP finals this season; I want to fight for the trophy and give myself a shot to win. It's the end of the year and there's one more tournament left. I'm going to try to give everything I can. I'm still good physically; I'm healthy and confident in my game that I can play well and do good things. In the end, I want to raise my level to one day be the best player I can," Felix Auger-Aliassime said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Uo013f