Auger-Aliassime Recovers to Secure Quarterfinal Spot in Paris Masters

Paris, France — Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters on Thursday, defeating Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. This victory keeps Auger-Aliassime’s hopes alive for qualifying for the prestigious ATP Finals in Turin.

The ninth-seeded Canadian showed resilience, bouncing back after losing the first set. He won 87 percent of his first-serve points and converted three of ten break chances in a match that lasted two hours and 11 minutes.

“It’s been a struggle all week,” Auger-Aliassime said after the match. “Just fighting back every day is key. I tried to dig deep. I know I have solutions within myself. It’s about executing right.”

Auger-Aliassime improved his performance as the match progressed, particularly with his serving. “I started serving better and better as the match went on,” he noted. “I found a way to pressure him and broke him three times.”

The Canadian had previously faced tough challenges early in the tournament, needing to fight back in every match. His latest win marks the third time in as many matches that he has come from behind to advance.

He will next face Monaco wild card Valentin Vacherot, who defeated British player Cameron Norrie to continue his impressive run at the tournament. Vacherot has won ten consecutive matches at the Masters level.

Auger-Aliassime currently sits ninth in the ATP Race to Turin standings and is just 290 points behind eighth-place Lorenzo Musetti, who was eliminated from the competition earlier this week. A strong showing in the following rounds could improve Auger-Aliassime’s chances of qualifying for the season-ending Finals.