Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime completed a successful defense of his title in Basel on Sunday. He completed it with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5) win over Hubert Hurkacz in the final. Auger-Aliassime entered the tournament with a losing record this season but grew in confidence over the week, seeing off Hurkacz in a pair of tie-breaks. It was his first title since lifting the same trophy in Switzerland 12 months ago.
“I’m definitely back. I let my racquet talk. That’s always been the motto of my career,” said Auger-Aliassime.
“I’ve had the conviction that I can be a top player since I’m a kid, but there were many doubts this year about my performances and why.” Also read: Rafael Nadal Announces Comeback at Australian Open 2024
Before reaching the quarter-finals in Tokyo last week, Auger-Aliassime had failed to win multiple matches in 12 consecutive tournaments. He was eliminated in the first round of the Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open.
“I’m happy that I was able to prove to everybody that I still belong among the best players in the world, that I can play this level. I never doubted it, but it’s good to confirm it on the court,” he said.
Hurkacz’s defeat ended his chances of reaching the ATP Finals for the second time in three years. He is now eighth in the fight for a berth in the eight-man field and a win would have trimmed the distance to Holger Rune in the final qualifying position to 15 points. Also read: Eugenie Bouchard Reveals Her New Boyfriend, making It Official