By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday February 2, 2025
Felix Auger-Aliassime battled to the brink with Aleksandar Kovacevic before coming through in a final-set tiebreak for his seventh career title, and first on French soil.
Photo Source: TTV
The 2025 ATP season is barely a month old and already Felix Auger-Aliassime has a pair of titles to his name. The Canadian captured his second of the season – and seventh overall – on Sunday in Montpellier, defeating American Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-2, 6-7(7), 7-6(2), for the Open Occitanie crown.
“For sure that’s the craziest final I played, whether I won or lost” said Auger-Aliassime, who won the Adelaide title last month, after the win. “It was a crazy match, I started great, I couldn’t have gotten a better start, I was feeling good, but credit to Aleks, he raised his level. I think it was a very high level on both ends.”
The Canadian fired 19 aces and saved the only break point he faced, but he ran into major resistance from the 102-ranked Kovacevic, a former University of Illinois standout, in the second and third sets.
Kovacevic, playing his maiden ATP final, saved a pair of championship points with electric shotmaking in the second-set tiebreak. In the third set he had a break point with Auger-Aliassime serving in a heated game at 5-all.
“I think it tells how good the serving was today from myself and Aleks as well,” Auger-Aliassime said after coming through the two hour and 41-minute tussle. “Very solid serving. He was very close at the end, and I had a match point also in the second set so it is matches like this that can go either way.”
It wasn’t the result Kovacevic hoped for, but he relished the opportunity to play for the crown on such a big stage. After the final Auger-Aliassime praised his game and even compared his stylish technique to that of 20-time major champion Roger Federer.
“I think that was the most fun I’ve ever had on a tennis court in my life,” the 26-year-old New York native admitted. “Incredible match, incredible atmosphere – honored to share the court with someone like Felix.
“I did everything I could, and left everything out there.”
Kovacevic will rise to No.75 in Monday’s ATP rankings, three spots shy of his previous career high.
Auger-Aliassime, who is now 7-2 in ATP finals since the start of 2022 (7-16 overall), has won more indoor matches than any other player since the start of 2022. He’s 53-14 in that span under a roof.
The 23-year-old is 10-2 overall on the season. He will make his way to Rotterdam, where he faces Andrea Vavassori in the first round, next week.