When Felix Auger‑Aliassime, the 25th‑seed from Canada, edged out third‑seed Alexander Zverev 4‑6, 7‑6(7), 6‑4, 6‑4 on Saturday night, the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium erupted. The win earned the Canadian a place in the fourth round of the 2025 US OpenFlushing Meadows, New York City and marked his first advance to the second week of the season’s final Grand Slam since his 2021 semifinal run.
Auger‑Aliassime entered the tournament after a bruising major season. He bowed out in the second round of the Australian Open, fell early at Roland Garros, and couldn’t get past Wimbledon’s opening day. Critics had begun to whisper that his 2024 breakout might have been a flash‑in‑the‑pan. Yet his perseverance paid off, and the New York crowd finally got to see the growth that many had been betting on.
The first set slipped away from the Canadian, with Zverev breaking early and holding serve to claim it 6‑4. Auger‑Aliassime answered back, grinding to a 6‑6 tie before clinching the tiebreak 9‑7. He saved a set point at 5‑4 in the second set – a moment that could have swung the match back to the German. After that, the momentum shifted. The Canadian struck a string of 10 winners in the third set, and his serve held up to seal it 6‑4. He repeated the pattern in the fourth, closing out the match with a decisive forehand down the line.
Because the contest stretched close to four hours, the scheduled women’s match between Maria Sakkari and Beatriz Haddad Maia didn’t start until 11:28 p.m. The US Open introduced a new late‑night policy last year: any match not underway by 11:15 p.m. can be moved to a different court. Officials said they would have shifted the women’s bout if the men’s showdown had tipped into a fifth set.
After the win, Auger‑Aliassime beamed, "This feels good. I've been coming here since 2018. I'm still young, but it's been a few years and I'm working my way. Some of you might be watching me for the first time tonight. But this feels really good." He gave credit to his team for tweaking his serve and praised his own mental resilience.
Zverev, gracious in defeat, told reporters, "Felix played a great match. He fought for every point and deserved the win. I’ll take the loss as motivation for the rest of the season." The German noted that the weather conditions – a slight drop in humidity after a rain delay – had made the ball bounce lower, a factor he felt had favored Auger‑Aliassime’s aggressive baseline game.
Bolstered by the Zverev upset, Auger‑Aliassime rode a wave of confidence through the next rounds. He dispatched 15th‑seed Andrey Rublev in straight sets, then out‑lasted eighth‑seed Alex de Minaur in a three‑set thriller. Those victories set up a semifinal clash with defending champion and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Auger‑Aliassime fell 6‑1, 3‑6, 6‑3, 6‑4, but his performance was markedly better than the 6‑0, 6‑2 drubbing he suffered at the Cincinnati Open a month earlier.
"I played much better. I served much better," Auger‑Aliassime reflected after the semi. "In Cincinnati we hadn't played in years, and his return was terrifying. In New York I knew what to expect, and I believed I could compete." His newfound belief has sparked a conversation among Canadian tennis fans about a possible resurgence on the world stage.
With the US Open wrapping up on September 7, Auger‑Aliassime faces a scheduling clash: the Davis Cup tie scheduled for the following week lands just days before his upcoming wedding. He hinted that the national team’s prospects will likely influence his decision, but he remained optimistic about balancing both commitments.
Analysts predict that this breakthrough could translate into higher seedings for the upcoming Asian swing and a better chance at breaking into the Top 10 by year‑end. "If he keeps this level of intensity, a top‑five finish is attainable," said former pro Patrick Rafter, now a commentator for the tournament.
The victory adds 720 points to his ATP tally, likely moving him from No. 12 into the top 10 for the first time since 2022, assuming he maintains his form in the upcoming ATP events.
He increased his first‑serve percentage from 57 % to 68 % during the US Open, incorporated more topspin on his backhand, and worked with his coach to improve return positioning, all of which helped neutralise Zverev’s powerful serve.
He hinted that he’s weighing his options. The tie is scheduled for the week after his wedding, and while he wants to represent Canada, family commitments might limit his participation.
Because the Auger‑Aliassime/Zverev match stayed within four hours, the women’s match could start on the same court at 11:28 p.m. Without the policy, officials would have been forced to shift the women’s bout to a secondary court, disrupting broadcast plans.
Auger‑Aliassime’s deep run revives memories of Milos Raonic’s 2016 final and signals that Canada can consistently produce Grand Slam contenders, potentially inspiring a new generation of players.
