Auger-Aliassime rises with help in Shanghai thriller
Stretched thin on the baseline against Jesper de Jong, Felix Auger-Aliassime tumbled after a sly drop shot—until a ball kid’s steady hands pulled him up, igniting the crowd and his path to victory.
Under the glare of the Qizhong Forest Sports City lights, Felix Auger-Aliassime pushed his limits in a tight scrap at the Shanghai Masters. The Canadian, seeded No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings, had taken the first set 6-4 with booming serves and sharp inside-out forehands that pinned his opponent back. But as the second set heated up, the Dutch qualifier’s crafty play forced him into a desperate chase, turning the hard courts into a stage for raw determination.
Drop shot chase ends in tumble
Serving at 4-5, 15-30 to stay alive in the set, Auger-Aliassime sprinted after a teasing drop shot from Jesper de Jong, his long strides eating up the baseline in a bid to keep the rally going. The Shanghai surface, with its quick pace and true bounce, amplified the urgency, but he couldn’t close the gap fast enough. Lunging with his racquet, he clipped the ball yet toppled backward, landing seated on the unforgiving hard court amid the arena’s rising hum.
The 25-year-old sat there briefly, the weight of the moment mixing with the sting of vulnerability after a season of highs and hurdles. De Jong‘s mix of heavy topspin and delicate drops had disrupted his rhythm, testing the mental edge honed through 36 matches won against 19 losses this year. Yet in that pause, the crowd’s energy pulsed, waiting for his next move on this ATP Masters 1000 stage.
Ball kid’s grip fuels comeback
As he braced to stand, a ball kid hurried over, offering both hands in a simple act of support that hauled Auger-Aliassime upright to thunderous cheers rippling through the stands. The gesture cut through the tension, blending the sport’s intensity with its human warmth and sparking a visible shift in the Canadian’s focus. He flashed a brief grin, resetting quickly to hold serve and level the set at 5-5.
From there, Auger-Aliassime dialed in his one–two punch, pairing deep serves with crosscourt backhands that neutralized de Jong’s underspin slices and opened angles for winners. The psychological lift was clear; what might have rattled him instead sharpened his aggression, allowing him to break and close out the 7-5 frame for a 6-4, 7-5 win after a gritty battle. Data from ATP Stats underscores his season’s resilience, now bolstered by this hard-fought advance.
Race to Turin heats up
With the victory, the 10th-placed contender in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin keeps his sights on a second stint at the Nitto ATP Finals, set for November 9-16. Next up comes a clash with either Lorenzo Musetti or Luciano Darderi, where the Italian pair’s varied paces will demand quick reads on drop shots and slices. His recent marriage to long-term partner Nina adds a personal anchor to the professional grind, fueling the drive as Shanghai’s tempo suits his explosive baseline game.
These courts reward bold adjustments, and Auger-Aliassime’s recovery here signals deeper growth amid the late-season push. The ball kid’s cheers still echo as a nod to tennis’s shared spirit, propelling him forward in the draw with momentum building toward that Turin showdown.
