By Chris Oddo | Wednesday March 27, 2019
Superlatives are getting scarce when it comes to accurately describing the run of Felix Auger-Aliassime at this year’s Miami Open.
The 18-year-old Canadian powered past Borna Coric in supremely confident fashion on Wednesday evening and became the youngest semi-finalist in Miami Open history.
Just 35 matches into his ATP career the Quebec native has already displayed a penchant for taking down the game’s thoroughbreds. He improved to a jaw-dropping 5-0 against the ATP’s Top 20 with his 7-6(3) 6-2 triumph and will bid to become the second-youngest finalist in Masters 1000 history when he meets American John Isner in the semi-finals on Friday.
“I think I have been just improving in the last couple of weeks,” Auger-Aliassime told reporters after his victory. “But I don't want to look back right now. I think I will do at the end of the tournament. Right now I'm looking forward to the next match and how far I can go in this tournament.”
Auger-Aliassime kept his eyes on the prize on Wednesday as he had a battle through a tense opening set before finally taking control in a tiebreaker.
In the second set the Canadian put distance between himself and the No.11 seed with pinpoint serving and a willingness to hammer his forehand early in rallies.
He dropped just four points on serve and broke twice on four opportunities to win the match going away.
“Playing Borna, who's been established for a few years now, I definitely didn't expect to win,” Auger-Aliassime said after the match. “I expected more, a set like in the first. But the second really surprised me. I felt like I had margin over him, had a bit of an edge. I just felt really comfortable out there from the first balls.”
It has been a whirlwind two months for Auger-Aliassime. He was outside the Top 100 on February 4, but after becoming the youngest finalist at the 500-level in Rio he jumped to 60 in the world. The Canadian notched his first career Top 10 victory at Indian Wells when he dismantled Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second-round.
But in Miami he has hit the next level.
He will reach inside the Top 35 after Miami, and could crack the Top 20 if he wins the title.
With Auger-Aliassime’s compatriot and fellow teenager Denis Shapovalov still alive in the draw, this year’s Miami Open marks the first time that two teenagers have reached at least the quarter-finals since 2007. Combine that with last week’s title by 18-year-old Bianca Andreescu and Canadian tennis is looking set for a bright future.
“Pretty crazy,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Everyone is super excited back home. It's great to hear all these good comments from them. It puts a lot of belief in tennis in Canada. I think all the Canadian players from the young kids to Denis and Bianca and I, there is a lot of belief right now, so it's great to see.”
Shapovalov will face American Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals on Thursday afternoon. Three-time champion Roger Federer will battle Kevin Anderson in the night session.