Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada is now ninth in the world, and on Sunday in the Netherlands was able to do something he has never accomplished before, and that was to win an ATP tournament. Auger-Aliassime defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Rotterdam Open.
One must also realize is that this was Auger-Aliassime’s ninth final. He had lost all eight finals before finally winning his ninth. Among the ATP Finals Auger-Aliassime has reached over the years was the 2020 Rotterdam Open, where he lost 6-2, 6-4 to Gael Monfils of France.
Speaking of French tennis, it is another French player who has the record for the most consecutive ATP Finals losses before winning his first ATP title. This dubious record belongs to Cedric Pioline of Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, who lost nine straight finals before winning the 1996 Copenhagen Open, where he defeated Denmark’s Kenneth Carlson in the final, 6-2, 7-6. Among the nine straight finals Pioline lost to begin his career was the 1993 United States Open, where he was beaten in straight sets by Pete Sampras, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
In Rotterdam this past week, Auger-Aliassime beat some very notable players in addition to Tsitsipas, the 2021 French Open finalist. Others included three-time major champion Andy Murray of Great Britain 6-3, 6-4 in the second round, reigning Indian Wells champion Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, 7-5, 7-6 in the quarterfinals, and world number seven Andrey Rublev of Russia, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals.
There was one major reason why Auger-Aliassime got the better of Tsitsipas and that came down to his serve. Auger-Aliassime had seven aces, zero double faults, and did not allow Tsitsipas a break point opportunity.
