Auger-Aliassime delivers inspired breakthrough in Shanghai
Amid the tightening chase for a Nitto ATP Finals spot, Felix Auger-Aliassime turned pressure into precision, outclassing Lorenzo Musetti to reach the quarterfinals and signal his rising form on the Asian swing.
In the humid intensity of Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Felix Auger-Aliassime arrived for his fourth-round clash at the Shanghai Masters carrying the weight of a season’s ambitions. The 12th seed faced eighth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in a matchup laced with implications for their standings in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin. Auger-Aliassime, fresh off a US Open semifinal and Cincinnati quarterfinal, channeled that momentum into a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory that lasted 85 minutes and propelled him into the last eight.
Inspired execution overwhelms from baseline
Auger-Aliassime dictated the tempo early, using inside-out forehands to stretch Musetti wide and set up down-the-line backhands that split the court. He converted three of six break points, firing 24 winners—including seven aces—to dwarf his opponent’s 11, while saving all three break points he faced. Across his three matches in Shanghai, he has held serve in 28 of 29 games, a streak that underscores his refined second-serve placement and mental fortitude on these medium-paced hard courts.
This performance avenged losses to Musetti at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Miami 2025, evening their ATP Head2Head at 4-4 and marking the Canadian’s fifth Top 10 win of 2025. The crowd’s energy built with each one–two combination—serve followed by a crosscourt forehand—sensing a player who had transformed recent frustrations into fluid aggression. Musetti’s one-handed backhand, usually a weapon, faltered against the relentless patterns, as the Italian struggled to find counter-rhythms in the humid air.
“[That was] ’inspired Felix’ I guess,” said Auger-Aliassime, when asked to describe his performance. “I felt like I was playing fast, but I was seeing the game slow. It’s weird when you get these kinds of nights.
“I’ve been trying to work my way there obviously for a while now, working on this type of game plan, but to execute it live on a match court at this stage against an opponent like this is a different story to practice. I’m very pleased, because to play like this means things are coming along nicely.”
Turin pursuit gains crucial ground
The win carried weight beyond the Shanghai draw, narrowing Auger-Aliassime’s deficit to Musetti in the Live Race to Turin to 530 points, with the Italian clinging to eighth and the Canadian at tenth. Both players are locked in a fierce battle for a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals, where every Masters 1000 point reshapes the late-season landscape. Auger-Aliassime’s clinical edge here, built on drills tailored to the hard-court bounce and humidity, positions him to climb if he maintains this clarity amid the tour’s grind.
Another chapter written @felixtennis becomes the first Canadian to reach the final eight in Shanghai, a 60th career quarter-final for Felix @SH_Masters #ShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/4jeZGJ7vbQ
Another chapter written @felixtennis becomes the first Canadian to reach the final eight in Shanghai, a 60th career quarter-final for Felix@SH_Masters
| #ShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/4jeZGJ7vbQ— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 8, 2025
ATP Stats highlight how the 25-year-old’s adjustments—mixing topspin drives with occasional underspin approaches—disrupted Musetti’s footing, turning defensive exchanges into opportunities. The arena’s murmurs swelled as the second set unfolded, the Canadian’s confidence visibly surging and converting the match’s tension into dominance. This milestone, noted by the ATP Tour on October 8, 2025, reflects his growing command of the Asian swing’s conditions, where the ball’s pace amplifies his flat strikes yet demands endurance.
Quarterfinal challenge sharpens focus
Now Auger-Aliassime turns to Friday’s quarterfinal against Arthur Rinderknech, a test of sustaining this surge on the swift Shanghai surfaces. The Frenchman’s lefty serve and net approaches will require precise return positioning and patient baseline probing, but the Canadian’s blend of power and poise suggests he can extend his patterns without overreaching. In a season marked by near-misses, this display in China illuminates a path forward, where each hold and winner fuels the conviction needed to secure a Turin berth and cap the year on his terms.
