Felix Auger-Aliassime marks 250th career win with statement performance

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s first match as a married man came with a double celebration — one of love and one of legacy. The 25-year-old Canadian opened his campaign at the Shanghai Masters Saturday with a composed 6-3, 6-3 win over Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, marking the 250th tour-level win of his career.

It’s a milestone that places him in rarefied company. Auger-Aliassime is now the third man born in the 2000s to reach 250 ATP tour wins. He joins Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz — two of his generational peers who have defined the sport’s youth movement.

The numbers tell the story of an impressive climb. Since making his ATP debut in 2018, Auger-Aliassime has quietly built a resume of consistency and perseverance through highs and slumps alike.

His 250th win adds another layer to a career that continues to mature and one that is now buoyed by personal joy off the court. Just two weeks earlier, the Canadian married his longtime partner Nina Ghaibi.

If there were any signs of distraction, they did not show. Playing Tabilo for the first time, the No. 12 seed settled quickly into rhythm on the Chinese hard courts. Both sets followed a similar script as they were tightly contested early on before Auger-Aliassime found another gear to close them out with authority.

From 2-3 down in the first set, he rattled off four straight games to seal it 6-3. And in the second set, he broke at 3-all and never looks back. Auger-Aliassime finished the match with 29 winners as opposed to 26 unforced errors, converting three of his five break points.

This win also underlines how far he’s come since enduring a difficult 2023 season where injuries and inconsistency saw his ranking dip. But a resurgence over the last few months has restored his belief.

Auger-Aliassime’s next text will come against Jesper de Jong, who upset No. 17 seed Jakub Mensik earlier.