ATP Masters Monte Carlo: Felix Auger-Aliassime and the search for the early form
Felix Auger-Aliassime has been struggling with a real form crisis for a few weeks. The 2022 season had started so promisingly for the Canadian.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Apr 14, 2022, 08:49 am
February 13, 2022, Felix Auger-Aliassime will probably remember it for a long time to come. Not only was the 21-year-old Canadian able to celebrate his first title win on the ATP tour that Sunday in spring, no, the youngster was also able to end a stubborn negative series of eight lost finals in a row once and for all.
Yes, the start of the year was very promising for the young man from Montreal. Victory at the ATP Cup, quarter-finals at the Australian Open, title win in Rotterdam and final in Marseille, that's the balance after just one and a half months on the ATP Tour 2022. The logical consequence: Felix Auger-Aliassime made it into the top ten in the world rankings for the first time. And gave the impression that he was now ready for the first big hit - for example at the ATP Masters 1000 level.
Felix Auger-Aliassime demolishes form
The fact that the Sunshine Double in the USA - the two Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami - was already ante portas was not inconvenient for the Canadian. It was all the more surprising a few days later when the 21-year-old's trip to the United States was to end early and with two first-round defeats. At this point in time, there was hardly anything left of the early form.
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At the beginning of the clay court season, the signs were that Auger-Aliassime would be back in top form early on. The ninth in the world rankings had planned an approach to this at the ATP 250 event in Marrakech before the first ATP Masters 1000 event was due in Monte Carlo. In reality it turned out differently: bitter second round in Marrakech, defeat in the opening round in Monte Carlo: Things are still not going well for the only 21-year-old.
Auger-Aliassime hopes for an increase in consistency
"It's difficult to maintain the level I played at the beginning of the year. Few players are able to do that," said Auger-Aliassime after his early exit in the Principality. "I will try to be one of those players in the future, but I still have a lot of things to improve. First, I will try to become a better tennis player."
In any case, the Canadian could not be satisfied with what was on offer in Monte Carlo, as he emphasized: "In view of my ambitions and the goals that I want to achieve at the tournaments, I have to act better than today." Days when the ninth in the world rankings realize that there is still a bit missing: "I'm only 21 years old and no, I'm not ready to take the position of Nadal or Djokovic yet," explained Auger-Alliasime . "I hope that in the future I can become a player who occupies an important place in the world rankings."
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