Felix Auger-Aliassime edges De Minaur to return to US Open Semi-finals
Canadian tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime produced one of his gutsiest performances at a Grand Slam on Wednesday, rallying to beat Australian eighth seed Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, 7-6(4) and book his place in the semi-finals of the 2025 US Open.
The 25th seed, who has battled injuries and inconsistent form since his breakout run to the 2021 semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, struck 22 aces and 51 winners on Arthur Ashe Stadium to silence doubts and signal his resurgence on the sport’s biggest stage.
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Breaking through the struggles
“It feels amazing. Four years ago feels like much longer,” Auger-Aliassime said after the match. “It’s been a tough couple of years, but it feels great to be back in the semis.”
Since his breakthrough season in 2021, Auger-Aliassime has often been tipped as a future Grand Slam champion, but injuries and confidence dips have stalled his progress. Before this year, he had failed to reach beyond the second round in his last three US Open appearances. Wednesday’s win not only marks redemption but also reaffirms his ability to challenge at the elite level.
The match in detail
De Minaur, one of the ATP Tour’s fastest movers, started stronger. A handful of unforced errors from Auger-Aliassime, including a baseline miss in the seventh game, gave the Australian the decisive break as he claimed the opening set 6-4.
The second set turned into a battle of nerves. De Minaur saved two break points in a marathon game with eight deuces before breaking Auger-Aliassime in the fifth game. But the Canadian hit back instantly and eventually forced a tiebreak. On his third set point, De Minaur faltered, sending a backhand into the net, allowing Auger-Aliassime to level the contest.
“That was a great response mentally,” said the Canadian. “To break back immediately gave me belief.” The third set swung back and forth. De Minaur fought to level from a break down but couldn’t consolidate, surrendering serve again at 5-6 as Auger-Aliassime sealed the set with a booming ace.
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The fourth set followed a similar script. De Minaur, chasing his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final after six quarter-final losses, grabbed an early break but again failed to hold the advantage. Auger-Aliassime broke to love in the ninth game before powering through the final tiebreak 7-4, closing out the win in just under four hours.
What’s next
Auger-Aliassime will face either defending champion Jannik Sinner or Italian 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the semi-finals. Both opponents are in top form, but the Canadian is carrying renewed belief.
“Today, both Alex and I struggled big time at moments, but that’s what Grand Slam matches are sometimes,” he reflected. “It wasn’t pretty, but I believed I would respond when it mattered.”
For De Minaur, more heartbreak
The defeat extends De Minaur’s painful record in major tournaments. The 25-year-old has now reached six quarter-finals at Grand Slams without progressing to the last four. Despite his consistency on tour, the Australian remains in search of a breakthrough result at the sport’s highest level.
SportsLigue