Felix Auger-Aliassime on Canada’s tennis revolution: ‘It’s a beautiful thing’
The Canadian men are defending Davis Cup champions in Malaga, Spain, this week, and take to the court just 10 days after their female compatriots captured the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time.
Tennis
When Felix Auger-Aliassime arrived in Malaga, Spain, for this week’s Davis Cup Finals, the Canadian tennis star strolled onto the quiet centre court to take in the scene.
It was on this very court that Auger-Aliassime secured his country’s maiden Davis Cup crown a year ago, and he’ll look to do so again this week.
The week has taken on extra gravitas with the surprise triumph of the Canadian women’s team – led by Leylah Fernandez – who roared to its first Billie Jean King Cup title just a couple of weeks ago.
Canada, once know for its hockey, skiing and skating, has the two number one tennis teams – in the world.
“It’s a beautiful thing to think that we have both [the] men and women number one” teams, Auger-Aliassime told reporters Sunday (19 November) in Malaga. “For me, growing up that seemed very far [away]. It speaks to how much we’ve grown as a country in this sport.”
He added: “The women are putting the pressure on us now... which is good! It’s good to have both men’s and women’s tennis in our country pushing each other to the highest ranking.”
The men’s quest to go back-to-back at Davis Cup begins Tuesday (21 November) against a Finnish team that is not to be under-rated. It’s the beginning of what Felix and co. hope is step one to a repeat title – not done in this event since Czechia defended its Cup a decade ago (2012-13).
Felix Auger-Aliassime on his challenging 2023 season
It was a year ago that Auger-Aliassime arrived in Malaga riding high: Having lost the first nine ATP finals he contested in his career, he captured his first in February of 2022 before ending the season on a tear, claiming a trio of trophies in a row (!) and striding into Davis Cup having won 17 of his previous 20 matches.
“Last year I came in very confident, playing some of the best tennis I have played so far in my career,” he confirmed.
“This year has been more challenging, but yeah, I think the most important for me... is whenever we come as a team, we always have a belief that we can win. It's a separate tournament than the rest of the tour. That's why you always see surprises sometimes in Davis Cup. There is an energy.”
It’s true that is has been an uphill battle for Felix in 2023, who has been open in interviews about his lack of confidence while also dealing with injuries. A 60-27 mark in 2022 has sunk to just 23-19 this season, including opening-round losses at the last three majors, his ranking sliding from world No.6 to 29th.
But he showed flashes of his former self with a title run late last month in Basel, Switzerland, successfully defending his win with victories over Holger Rune and Hubert Hurkacz.
“I’m definitely back,” he told the ATP after that win. “I let my racket talk.”
He hopes to do the same in Malaga.
Tennis in Canada: 'It's an incredible period'
While the Cup success marks a historic moment for Canadian tennis, it hasn’t come out of nowhere. The last decade has seen outsized moments for the nation on the international scene, highlighted by Bianca Andreescu’s 2019 US Open triumph.
But there’s been more – much, much more:
- Genie Bouchard made the 2014 Wimbledon final, finishing runner-up to Petra Kvitova. She was the country’s first-ever major finalist in singles, male or female
- Two years later, in 2016, Milos Raonic also made the championship match at Wimbledon, losing to Andy Murray (after beating Roger Federer in the semis)
- In 2021, Fernandez made an inspired run to the US Open final, felled by Emma Raducanu in an all-teen final
- Doubles trouble: The Canadian success has been immense in doubles, dating back to Sebastian Lareau and Daniel Nestor’s Olympic gold at Sydney 2000. Nestor would go on to win eight doubles majors, while Vasek Pospisil captured Wimbledon in 2014 (with Jack Sock); Gabriela Dabrowski won this year’s US Open having carved out a top 10 doubles career the last few years
- Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov have both reached the world’s top 10 and major semi-finals
So can Canada do it? Win back-to-back team tennis titles just weeks apart?
“It's an incredible period for tennis in Canada right now,” said Pospisil in Malaga. “We have kind of been building to this moment over the last 12, 13, 14 years, or even prior to that.”
“I feel like every couple years we have had something, get a better achievement on the big stage.”
Back on a stage they know – and know how to win on – very well.
“It's nice to come back to a place where you have good memories,” added Auger-Aliassime. “And hopefully that can serve us well this week.”