Felix Auger-Aliassime reaches final in Paris, now a win away from qualifying for ATP Finals

Felix Auger-Aliassime is through to the final of the Rolex Paris Masters after ending the run of Alexander Bublik in the semifinals of the Masters 1000 event on Saturday afternoon, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

With that victory, the Canadian is now one win away from the biggest title of his career—his biggest titles to date are three ATP 500s, at Rotterdam and Basel in 2022 and Basel again in 2023.

But just as (if not more) pressing, Auger-Aliassime is now one win away from qualifying for this year's ATP Finals in Turin.

There are now only two players left in contention for the last spot in the elite eight-man field in Turin—Auger-Aliassime, whose victory in Paris on Saturday moves him up from No. 9 to No. 8 in the Race to the ATP Finals with 3,845 points, and Lorenzo Musetti, who slips from No. 8 to No. 9 in the race standings with 3,685 points.

Musetti lost his opening match in Paris earlier in the week.

The two are both scheduled to play next week, the last week of tournaments that count in the race, Auger-Aliassime playing in Metz and Musetti in Athens. Those are both ATP 250 events.

But if the Canadian wins Paris on Sunday, he'll have 4,195 points, which is well out of reach of anything the Italian can pick up next week, and thus securing the eighth and final spot in Turin.

There was little between Auger-Aliassime and Bublik in the first set on Saturday, with 12 straight holds to start the match, and the Canadian sneaking out the 50-minute opening frame in a tie-break.

There were all kinds of momentum swings in the second set, though, as Bublik broke early for a 2-0 lead—and then, after getting broken right back, breaking again for a 3-1 lead, and then holding for 4-1.

But Auger-Aliassime caught fire from there, reeling off five games in a row—and 14 of the last 17 points of the match—to close it out.

The Canadian finished with more than twice as many winners as the Kazakh, 31 to 15, as well as fewer unforced errors, 21 to 23.

"I'm so happy. A Masters 1000 final sounds really good," Auger-Aliassime said after the match. "You don't play those finals every week, every day, so hopefully I can go all the way and get the title.

"But in terms of today, and even the last matches, you get to a Masters and every match is tough. It's a 56 draw, it's stacked, you wake up every day and this guy's playing good, this guy's playing good, everybody's playing good. So you're always curious and a bit nervous about how your game's going to match up with them.

"I have deep self-confidence in my game and I know what I can do against the best players in the world, but you still have to go and execute, and today I did really well, and I'm happy with the result."

Awaiting Auger-Aliassime in the final will be either Jannik Sinner or Alexander Zverev, who played the second semifinal of the day.

"These are the matches you play for, train for. It's always great to play these guys and see how my game matches with them," he said.

"I've been playing tennis for a long time, training all these years to improve, and I've made some great improvement, and now tomorrow I have a chance to showcase it in front of everyone, so I'm going to wake up ready. At the same time, with these guys you have to be so sharp. Tactically, disciplined—they don't give you anything.

"You have to be ready to play your A-game."

Auger-Aliassime is an even 2-2 against Sinner (though he's lost both of their meetings this year) and 3-6 against Zverev (but he beat the German in their only 2025 meeting at the US Open).

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