Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Brussels breakthrough keeps ATP Finals dream alive

I’ve always felt that Felix Auger-Aliassime does his best work when the indoor lights dim just right. When the atmosphere feels contained, almost personal.

And in Brussels this past weekend, the Canadian seemed to find that feeling again.

With a steely 7–6, 6–7, 6–2 win over Jiri Lehecka in the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open final, Auger-Aliassime not only reclaimed the title he first lifted in 2022 but also reignited his bid for a spot at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.

It wasn’t a straightforward afternoon.

Auger-Aliassime had his chances to close the match in straight sets — two match points slipped away in the second-set tiebreak — but when the moment demanded resilience, he found an extra gear.

Over the course of two hours and 34 minutes, he rained down 17 aces, won nearly 80 percent of his first-serve points, and never allowed his opponent a single break opportunity.

That kind of composure under pressure has been a hallmark of his best tennis, and it returned in full force on the Belgian indoor hard court.

“It’s the final, so we put everything on the line,” he said after the match, visibly relieved but still wired with adrenaline. “We were both extremely focused from the start. It was a high level for two sets. Then you just don’t know how things can go.”

For Auger-Aliassime, this was more than a title. The 25-year-old’s third trophy of the season, following early-year triumphs in Adelaide and Montpellier, lifted him to ninth in the ATP Race to Turin.

That narrows the gap to just 330 points behind Lorenzo Musetti, who currently holds the final qualification spot. With Musetti falling in the Brussels quarterfinals to rising Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the door has creaked open for the Canadian.

The indoor swing has long been Auger-Aliassime’s comfort zone. According to ATP data, no player has collected more match wins on indoor hard courts since 2020, and his fluid movement and precision serving seem almost tailor-made for this stretch of the season.

He’ll need every ounce of that form next week in Basel, where he’s already a two-time champion. Seeded fifth, he opens against compatriot Gabriel Diallo, which is a matchup that carries both opportunity and risk as Felix looks to keep his Turin hopes alive.

But the race remains crowded. Jack Draper, who ended his season early, sits just behind. Meanwhile, Stockholm champion Casper Ruud and Almaty winner Daniil Medvedev have both closed in after collecting 250 points apiece.

Ruud will look to build on that momentum in Basel, where he’s seeded fourth, while Medvedev takes his chances as the sixth seed in Vienna. Every match counts now, and Auger-Aliassime knows it.