(Halle) Kipker Felix Auger-Aliassime set his sights on a possible qualification for the two finals of the tennis tournament in Halle on Saturday. He has done half his job.
Three days after defeating Roger Federer in the second round, Auger-Aliassime bowed to France’s Ugo Humbert, who won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5), in two hours and 37, in the men’s singles semi-final.
Auger-Aliassime was seeking the final on grass for the second time in a row at the weekend, after losing to Croatian Marin Cilic at the tournament in Stuttgart last week.
However, with the Wimbledon Open kicking off just over a week ago, Auger-Aliassime says he feels a good level of confidence.
“I think I really managed to get what I was looking for here,” he said in a video conference.
“I was hoping to give myself another chance to play another final tomorrow. Now I need to look at the positives, I need to rest a bit and be refreshed when I get to Wimbledon. Yes, I have potential to do beautiful things. The goal is to keep doing what I’m doing. well, without hesitation and with confidence.”
PHOTO CARMEN JASPERSEN, AFP
Ugo Humbert
A little later on Saturday, Auger-Aliassime and Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz reached the men’s doubles final thanks to a 7-6 (4) 6-2 victory over a tandem set up by Germany’s Tim Poetz and New Zeelot Michael. Venus.
So Auger-Aliassime will have a chance to win her second professional doubles tournament, against German duo Kevin Krawetz and Romania’s Horia Tekao on Sunday.
Last November, Ogier-Aliassim and Hurkacz won the Masters 1000 in Paris after beating Croatian Mate Pavic and Brazilian Bruno Soares.
revenge
By taking the Auger-Aliassime scale, Humbert ranked 31e, enjoyed a great match against Quebecwa who beat them 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) in the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart tournament last week.
“It was an excellent match for both teams, but it was very difficult both physically and mentally,” Humbert analyzed, during an interview conducted on the field after the clash.
“I am very proud to win this match,” added Humbert, who will face Russian Andrey Rublev on Sunday in the final.
Auger-Aliassime started the duel with confidence, taking a break in the second game to give himself a 2-0 priority. However, this progression will be ephemeral, as Humbert gives him his currency change from the next match.
Auger-Aliassime capitalized on two more break points in the sixth game, but the 22-year-old Frenchman fought back before taking the second preliminary break in the seventh game.
“There were many things in that game. A rollercoaster, where I start very well, serve well again. At this level, I did well. On the one hand, he plays well and I make some easy mistakes which were difficult in the first round. I broke twice which is still unusual for me on this surface. To go 2-0 up and lose 6-4, it’s a bit difficult,” Quebec said.
Humbert continued his momentum from the start of the second set with another break on serve.
But while he seemed to be completely in control of the exchanges in his service, Humbert suddenly faltered in the sixth and eighth games, opening the door for a crucial round.
In the fifth game, Auger-Aliassime saved two break points as he faced a potential deficit 1-4.
In the third set, Auger-Aliassime gave himself five break opportunities to Humbert, three in the seventh and two in the ninth, without having managed to score a single goal.
In the tenth match, in his service, Auger-Aliassime also saved two match points.
Humbert led by taking a small break at the third point of the tiebreak. Auger-Aliassime was unable to recover that small break and Humbert finished the duel on match point five when Quebec sent the service back on the baseline.
“It’s a shame because honestly, in the third set, I feel like I’m playing better than him sometimes. I’m the one who has the chances in 3e and 4e Games (in his service) and things are wrong on my part. But honestly, I can’t blame myself because he was playing so well every time. […] And he made an amazing tiebreak. He got all his points in serving. Games like that, you’ve won it before, and this time you’ve lost it. Of course, this is disappointing, but this is life. ”
Auger-Aliassime was hoping to take part in a ninth career final, and he is still looking for his first singles title on the ATP circuit.
Emily Thompson is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and developments that matter to their community. Her work emphasizes useful information, balanced coverage, and stories that reflect the interests, concerns, and everyday experiences of readers across Canada.