(September 3, 2025) FLUSHING, NY – Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-6 (4) at the US Open on Wednesday in 4 hours, 10 minutes to reach his second major semifinal, and second at the US Open. The 25-year-old 25th seed made the final four back in 2021. The Aussie is now 0-6 in quarterfinals.
“Four years ago. It feels like more,” said Auger-Aliassime, who advanced back then when Carlos Alcaraz stopped playing in the quarterfinals with an injured leg muscle. “It was a tough couple of years.”
He hit 22 aces and hit a total of 51 winners to the 29 for de Minaur.
The Aussie broke serve in the seventh game of the first set and held on to the set 6-4.
In the second set, both men exchanged breaks, leading to a tiebreaker. The Canadian rallied from 2-4 down in the tiebreaker to take it and level the score at 4-6, 7-6 (7).
The Canadian reflected on a challenging second set: “It’s tough, man. It’s tough. To be honest, I was struggling, just struggling to find, let’s say, the level I found the last — I mean, the whole tournament, really. It was my toughest match, you know, in this tournament so far.
“But even down a break in the second, I was, like, okay, let’s just believe that keep going for it, like, keep having the same intentions, not change much, but just, you know, believe that it’s going to come back. Like it’s going to come at some point. I’m going to connect a few and feel like, okay, yeah, here we go.
“To break back immediately, I think that was a great response mentally and in the game. Then the tiebreak, I went down in the tiebreak, but not down enough that you’d think it’s out of reach. I was, like, okay, just gotta win one clutch point and one important point and then you’re back in this.
“Then it was obviously very tight at the end. Could have gone either way, but came up with some good serves, some good shots. Yeah, once it was one set all, I felt, okay, I can settle into the match much more.”
Auger-Aliassime jumped out to a break lead, only to lose it as he was serving for the set 5-4. The Canadian broke back to serve for the set a second time, and this time he closed it 7-5.
The Aussie jetted out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set. However, what appeared to be a sure set for De Minaur was not as the Canadian broke serve in the ninth game to get back on serve. In the fourth set tiebreaker, he led from start to finish to close out the match.
“I think the tennis he’s played this whole US Open has definitely shown that, and he’s been at a very high level,” the Aussie said in his news conference. “You know, he’s a player that in the past has shown that he’s got this level, so it’s nothing new, and it’s great to see.”
“Right now I’m looking at this like a wasted opportunity. It’s tough.
“There’s no other way I’m probably gonna deal with this, but just seeing it straight, and that’s what today was. Today was an opportunity to break new ground. I was nowhere near the level I needed to be at.
“That’s frustrating, because you don’t get these chances often.”
He’ll play the winner of the No. 1 Sinner vs No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti, match for a spot in the final.
“Probably I’ll watch,” the No. 25 noted. “Yeah, I’ll go back to the hotel now and watch. I like to watch matches, so that’s no different.
“I mean, strengths and weaknesses… Jannik, not many strengths, huh? A lot of weaknesses in his game. (Laughter.)
“What to say about Jannik’s game? He’s been obviously untouchable at times. Honestly, the next match I’m not really going to focus on my opponent more than myself. I need to play good tennis.
“I need to play even better than I did today, regardless of, you know, tactically what I want to do. I need to play at a high level in two days and then next round as well. There is no other way. “
“I mean, there is no beating around the bush,” said De Minaur. “It’s one of those matches that I would love to play again. There are other times that the opponent has a lot to say, and you know, I have played quarterfinals where I played Jannik, and he was just too good, right, and there’s not really much I could have done.
“But I feel like this one was on my racquet, and it is a shame. I don’t know how I’ll handle it. I’m definitely, as of right now, seeing red, but yeah, I’ll get over it. It’s just tennis, right?”
