After winning twice on tour already this year, Félix Auger-Aliassime is taking aim at his third title of 2025.Mike Frey/Reuters
Félix Auger-Aliassime appears to have saved his grittiest tennis of the year for the season’s final Grand Slam. But he’ll need yet another gear to upset defending champion Jannik Sinner at the U.S. Open on Friday night.
Canada’s top-ranked ATP player is back in a major semi-final for the first time in four years, the second of his career. He will aim to improve on his last appearance in the U.S Open semis, when he lost in straight sets against Daniil Medvedev in 2021.
Auger-Aliassime had a hot start to his 2025 season, including titles in Adelaide and Montpellier and a run to the final in Dubai in the first two months. But then he floundered a little in the middle of the year, including a disappointing showing in Toronto, where despite being a headliner, he lost his opening match at the lone Canadian tournament.
Everything you need to know about Félix Auger-Aliassime as he heads to the U.S. Open semi-finals
But in New York, the player known as FAA has revived a spark in his game. He’s currently ranked No. 27 on the ATP Tour, but the former world No. 6 is expected to be inside the top 13 by the end of the tournament.
He’s managed three intrepid upset wins in recent days – over No. 3 Alexander Zverev, No. 15 Andrey Rublev, then No. 8 Alex de Minaur. He really dug deep in the last one, storming back after losing the first set to win 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
Félix Auger-Aliassime, right, shakes hands after defeating Alex de Minaur in their U.S. Open quarter-final match on Wednesday. The Canadian had to dig deep after losing the first set.Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
“It wasn’t pretty at all times but that’s what Grand Slam matches are – some days you won’t feel your best but I was willing to dig really deep to stand here right now,” Auger-Aliassime told media after his match.
“The biggest challenges are yet to come but that’s what I live for, so I’m going to show up and be ready for my match on Friday.”
He’ll meet Sinner, the world No. 1 from Italy – a player on a 26-match unbeaten run at the hard-court majors.
Auger-Aliassime and Sinner have played one another three times before on the ATP Tour, all at Masters 1000 tournaments.
Auger-Aliassime won their first two meetings, both in rounds-of-16 during the 2022 season – the first on clay in Madrid and the second on hard court in Cincinnati. The Italian won the most recent match between them, last month in the quarter-finals at Cincinnati where Sinner coasted to 6-0, 6-2 victory.
“I feel like he has improved a lot,” said Sinner of Auger-Aliassime this week. “Even in one week’s time, you can make big adjustments, and I feel like he did that. Yes, it’s going to be a very, very difficult match for both of us.”
After losing his first two matches against Félix Auger-Aliassime, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner got a measure of revenge last month in Cincinnati, coasting to 6-0, 6-2 victory in the quarter-finals.Mike Frey/Reuters
Canada’s Denis Shapovalov took the first set off Sinner in their third-round match in this tournament, before the Italian saved a break point to avoid falling 0-4 in the third set, and powered to a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory. Sinner was clinical while flipping the momentum midmatch, to turn a potential upset into a comfy victory.
Sinner advanced to the semis by dominating fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti on Wednesday. Musetti failed to convert any of his seven break points in the 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 loss to the world No. 1.
“I felt that Jannik was on another level, I would say, in many, many occasions,” Musetti said. “I think with an opponent like him you have to take the few chances that he gives you, and I was not able to do it.”
Sinner has won two Grand Slam titles this year, and he held three championship points in an epic loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Roland-Garros. He has won 70 of 74 matches on hard court since the start of 2024.
“What to say about Jannik’s game?” said Auger-Aliassime. “He’s been obviously untouchable at times. Honestly, the next match I’m not really going to focus on my opponent more than myself. I need to play good tennis.”
Kelly: Auger-Aliassime has the look of a winner as he reaches the U.S. Open semi-final
Auger-Aliassime must show that his current resurgence is here to stay. The winner will earn a spot in Sunday’s final, against the man who takes Friday’s other formidable semi-final: Novak Djokovic or Alcaraz.
Canada also has another luminary playing at the U.S Open on Friday. Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski will compete with partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand in the women’s doubles final in the afternoon.
Gabriela Dabrowski, left, and partner Erin Routliffe overcame Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy on Wednesday to reach the U.S. Open women's doubles final.Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The third-seeded duo won the U.S. Open title in 2023 and want another. They’ll face top seeds Taylor Townsend of the U.S. and Katerina Siniakova of Czech Republic in Friday’s championship match.
Dabrowski and Routliffe first paired up in Montreal two years ago and have quickly risen to the top of women’s doubles. They’ve won five titles and reached career-high rankings. Routliffe climbed to No. 1 in the world, while Dabrowski reached No. 3.
The pair recently added the one thing they were missing together – a WTA 1000 title – secured last month in Cincinnati.
Earlier this year, Dabrowski revealed that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgeries and treatments during the 2024 season in which she earned a bronze medal in mixed-doubles tennis (partnered with Auger-Aliassime) at the Paris Olympics and became the first Canadian to hoist the women’s doubles year-end championship trophy.
This summer, Ottawa’s mayor honoured Dabrowski with a key to the city.