Auger-Aliassime surges into Paris final amid late-season charge

In the electric hum of La Défense Arena, Felix Auger-Aliassime turned the Paris Masters semifinal into a showcase of his late-2025 momentum, grinding out a 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Alexander Bublik in 96 minutes. The ninth-seeded Canadian’s clinical play secured his second ATP Masters 1000 final since Madrid in 2024, while vaulting him into the final qualification spot for the Nitto ATP Finals by displacing Lorenzo Musetti. This indoor triumph, where he leads the tour with 82 wins this decade, pulses with the intensity of a season’s closing stakes, his forehand firing 17 of 31 winners to blunt Bublik’s big serve.

Got the job done @felixtennis | @PMasters | #ParisMasters pic.twitter.com/wdxg5SrqIN
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 1, 2025

The first set locked into a tiebreak without a single break point, Bublik‘s power holding serve amid crosscourt exchanges that tested Auger-Aliassime‘s returns. He then dominated the breaker, taking six of the last seven points with inside-out forehands that forced errors from the Kazakhstani’s baseline position. This resolve, forged in the arena’s swift confines, set a tone of unyielding focus, the crowd’s murmurs building as the Canadian converted three of four break points overall.

“I’m so happy. A Masters 1000 final sounds really good,” said Auger-Aliassime after reaching his second championship match at that level after Madrid 2024. “You don’t play those finals every week. Hopefully I can go all the way and get the title. In terms of today and even the past matches… You get into a Masters, and every match is tough.

“It’s a 56-draw and it is stacked. You wake up on a day and feel, ‘This guy is playing good, everybody is playing good’. So you’re always curious and bit nervous to see how your game is going to match up. I have deep self confidence in my game. I know what I can do against the best players in the world, but you still have to go and execute. Today I did really well and I’m happy with the result.”

Navigating nerves in a stacked draw

Auger-Aliassime’s path through Paris has demanded constant adaptation in a 56-player field where every matchup carries weight, his self-belief anchoring him against the daily uncertainty of opponents’ form. He spoke of the curiosity and slight nerves before each round, yet executed with precision, his indoor affinity turning the fast hard courts into an ally that amplifies his flat strokes. This mental fortitude, honed over a season of highs and hurdles, now positions him for a final against either Jannik Sinner or Alexander Zverev, where tactical sharpness will define the outcome.

The atmosphere thickened as Bublik, in his first Masters 1000 semifinal, pushed back in the second set, breaking twice for a 4-1 lead with aggressive inside-out forehands that targeted the Canadian’s backhand. Auger-Aliassime responded by deepening his returns and unleashing down-the-line passes, reeling off five straight games to flip the script amid five total breaks. The crowd’s energy surged with each shift, their cheers echoing off the arena walls as he closed with controlled aggression, improving his head-to-head to 4-2.

Reeling off games under pressure

Bublik’s early surge tested Auger-Aliassime’s composure, but the Canadian’s one–two combinations—serve followed by deep crosscourt forehands—disrupted the Kazakhstani’s rhythm on the low-bouncing surface. He exploited lapses with underspin slices to vary pace, drawing net approaches that he passed cleanly, the tempo quickening as points shortened in the decider. This tactical pivot, blending discipline with opportunistic fire, transformed vulnerability into victory, the arena’s lights casting long shadows over a match that felt like a microcosm of late-season battles.

With the semifinal in the books, Auger-Aliassime holds a 90-point lead over Musetti in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, a buffer that endures even without the Paris title, sending him to the Moselle Open in Metz next week for further consolidation. Musetti turns to ATP 250 action in Athens, but the Canadian’s focus sharpens on Sunday’s showdown, where lifting the trophy would seal his Nitto ATP Finals spot outright. He reflected on these elite encounters as the essence of his career, years of training distilled into hours of high-stakes execution.

“These are the matches you train for and play for,” said Auger-Aliassime, when asked how he would approach Sunday’s final against Sinner or Zverev in Paris. “It’s always great to play these guys and see how my game matches with theirs. I’ve played tennis for a long time. You are training all these years to improve.

“I’ve played some great opponents and tomorrow I have the chance to showcase it in front of everyone. I’m going to wake up ready. At the same time, with these guys, you have to be so sharp. Tactically, and with discipline. They don’t give you anything, so you have to be ready to play you’re A-game.”

Eyes on Turin through Paris glory

Awaiting him looms a clash with Sinner’s relentless baseline game or Zverev’s booming power, surfaces like Paris favoring Auger-Aliassime’s precise inside-in patterns to keep rallies unpredictable. The 25-year-old’s indoor record speaks to his comfort here, where quick points reward his serve and forehand depth, but these finals demand flawless variety to counter top-seed defenses. As the autumn chill seeps into the arena, his resolve builds, each practice session a step toward not just a title, but a year-end stage that crowns sustained grit.

This run reframes his 2025 narrative, from navigating the tour’s grind to contending at its pinnacle, the psychological lift of Turin in sight propelling every stroke. Bublik’s bold effort highlighted the fine margins, yet Auger-Aliassime’s execution prevailed, a quiet confidence radiating as he eyes Sunday’s culmination. In a season of mental marathons, Paris offers the canvas to paint his breakthrough, the crowd’s anticipation a rhythmic pulse toward potential triumph.