Felix Auger-Aliassime just pulled a pretty shocking move. He’s withdrawn from the 2025 Moselle Open in Metz, right after playing in the Paris Masters final.
This is the time of year when tennis gets really interesting for fans.
Sure, players are still trying to win matches and tournaments. But there’s this whole other layer happening in these final weeks. Some guys will show up to events just to reach the quarters or semis, then suddenly withdraw.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felix Auger-Aliassime | 25 | 2,075 | 20 - 13 |
Here’s why that happens.
They might need a specific number of points to lock up their spot at the ATP Finals. That’s exactly what Auger-Aliassime was supposed to do in Metz at this ATP 250 event. But now he won’t even compete, even though his qualification for the ATP Finals is hanging in the balance.
The Canadian is sitting in eighth place in the 2025 ATP Race right now.
Lorenzo Musetti is breathing down his neck, fighting for that last qualification spot. Musetti’s got one shot – he needs to win the 2025 Athens Open to qualify for the year-end championship.
Naturally, Auger-Aliassime had signed up for an ATP 250 event in this final week. But he’s out.
The 25-year-old announced his withdrawal after losing that Paris Masters final to Jannik Sinner. His reason? He’s been playing through an injury.
"It doesn’t show, but I’ve had physical problems. If I qualify for Torino, all the better; otherwise, bravo to Lorenzo."
Now Auger-Aliassime’s fate is completely in Musetti’s hands.
Novak Djokovic should be the top favorite to win the title in Athens. But if Musetti somehow manages to lift that trophy, he’ll be heading to Turin instead of Auger-Aliassime.
Talk about putting all your eggs in someone else’s basket.
Felix Auger-Aliassime feels he’s closing the gap to Jannik Sinner
Auger-Aliassime lost to Sinner again, but this time felt different. He actually thinks he’s getting closer.
It’s been a tough stretch for the Canadian against the Italian. Sure, he beat Sinner in their first two meetings. But since Sinner’s rise to the top of the tennis world, it’s been three straight losses.
That Cincinnati Open loss earlier this year was brutal – 0-6, 2-6.
The US Open wasn’t much better, a four-set defeat. But this Paris Masters final? This one was close. Sinner won 6-4, 7-6(4), and there really wasn’t much separating the two players.
Auger-Aliassime sees progress in those numbers.
"No, for me, it’s not a huge gap. I’m getting closer every match we actually play one against the other. This match was more tight. At the US Open, I managed to win a set and lost the first and the fourth in a difficult way. But what we saw today was that it was close."
He’s not wrong about the trajectory. Each match has been getting tighter.
"Everything was on the quality of his serve, I think, the quality of his return game, as well. Hats off to him on that point. There’s a part of me that says, well, there are moments where I could play better. I’m still a bit sour for some moments of the match."
The Canadian knows he left some opportunities on the court.
But when you’re playing the world’s best player, those small margins make all the difference. Sinner’s serving and return game were just that little bit sharper when it mattered most.
Now all Auger-Aliassime can do is wait and see what happens in Athens.
