Montreal’s own Felix Auger-Aliassime is set to compete for his third title of 2025 after a thrilling semifinal match at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he triumphed over French qualifier Quentin Halys with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
The talented 24-year-old, who has already secured trophies in Adelaide and Montpellier this year, showcased his resilience by saving three set points in the first set before seizing control in the second, breaking Halys’s serve at a pivotal juncture.
Auger-Aliassime converted four out of seven break-point opportunities, demonstrating his clutch performance as he confidently powered through the final set, successfully saving both break points against him.
The world No. 21 also displayed his serving prowess by firing off 10 aces compared to Halys’s five.
“Honestly, I’m not sure how I managed to pull that off today,” Auger-Aliassime reflected after the match. “This week’s been all about three-set battles and we were both feeling a bit fatigued. It boiled down to maintaining positive self-talk—I think that’s something everyone can relate to.”
“On tougher days, giving yourself that motivational boost and staying positive is crucial. I worked hard mentally and physically, and I’m genuinely pleased that it paid off today.”
This victory marks his remarkable 16th win of 2025, leading the Tour in that category. Auger-Aliassime entered the Dubai event fresh off a semifinal defeat to Russia’s Andrey Rublev at the Qatar Open.
“It’s always a tough transition coming from Doha; you can feel the fatigue set in,” he mentioned when discussing his excellent start to the season. “But everyone faces the same obstacle, which is quite interesting.”
“It’s about identifying who will be able to stay sharp and seize those crucial moments. It’s never easy, but I’m gradually building my confidence and finding the right strategies to win in matches like this.”
Looking ahead, Auger-Aliassime will take on Greece’s 11th-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final on Saturday.
The fourth-seeded Tsitsipas advanced by defeating Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands with a score of 6-4, 6-4 in the other semifinal match on Friday.
In their nine previous encounters, Tsitsipas holds the advantage with a 6-3 lead over Auger-Aliassime.
The 26-year-old Tsitsipas won their last match at the 2023 Paris Masters in the second round.
Prior to that, Auger-Aliassime made history by claiming his maiden ATP Tour singles title against Tsitsipas in straight sets at the 2022 Rotterdam Open final.
