Felix Auger-Aliassime Battles Into US Open Semifinals
Felix Auger-Aliassime has officially punched his ticket back into the U.S. Open semifinals, and it came after a marathon battle against Australia’s Alex de Minaur that stretched over four hours. The Canadian, seeded 25th, came from behind to take the match 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-6 (4), securing his second career semifinal at a Grand Slam — and once again, it’s happening under the lights at Flushing Meadows.
What makes this run special is the resilience he showed throughout. Auger-Aliassime was one point away from going down two sets to none when de Minaur had a set point in the second-set tiebreak. But instead of folding, the Canadian unleashed a 120 mph ace, flipping the momentum in his favor. From there, he clawed his way back, eventually forcing a four-set finish in front of an electrified Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Also Read:The Montreal native admitted afterward that nerves were running high. He said it wasn’t always pretty, but what carried him through was his willingness to dig deep and fight for every point. That determination showed in the fourth set, where he trailed 2-5 before rallying back to level things at 5-all. Even after de Minaur pushed ahead again, Auger-Aliassime steadied himself, forcing another tiebreak and ultimately slamming the door shut with a forehand winner on match point.
This victory marks a personal milestone as well — it’s the first time in his career that he’s taken down three seeded opponents in a single major. Earlier in the tournament, he knocked out No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev and No. 15 Andrey Rublev before outlasting No. 8 de Minaur. For de Minaur, the loss continues a frustrating streak, as he has now fallen in all six of his Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances.
For Auger-Aliassime, the achievement feels like a renaissance. His only previous semifinal came here in 2021 when Carlos Alcaraz retired mid-match with an injury. Since then, the Canadian had endured ups and downs, making this return to the final four all the more meaningful. As he put it, “It feels like more than four years. It was a tough couple of years.”
But the job isn’t finished yet. Waiting in the semifinals will be either top-ranked Jannik Sinner or fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti, while the other half of the draw promises a blockbuster showdown between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. Auger-Aliassime knows the toughest challenges are still ahead, but as he said, this is exactly what he trains for.
With 22 aces and 51 winners against de Minaur, his firepower is clear. Now, the Canadian has a chance to make history by pushing through to his first-ever Grand Slam final. The crowd in New York already seems behind him, and if he can ride this wave of momentum, the U.S. Open may be witnessing something truly special.
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