Felix Auger-Aliassime clinches new rankings milestone

Despite not reaching the final in Sweden, Felix Auger-Aliassime secured a career first to round off his individual 2021 season.

The Canadian was aiming to reach a ninth career ATP final and capture a maiden title at the ATP 250 Stockholm Open.

However, Auger-Aliassime came up against a familiar foe in compatriot and friend Denis Shapovalov in the semi-finals.

Shapovalov ousted his younger countryman to reach back-to-back finals in Stockholm as defending champion from 2019.

While Auger-Aliassime would have hoped to end his 2021 on a high with his first ATP title, he does end it on a high of different sorts.

After top seed Jannik Sinner went out in his first match, Auger-Aliassime’s run to the semi-finals sees him switch places with the Italian in the ATP rankings.

As a result, the Canadian moves from 11th to 10th, a new career-high and his first foray into the top 10.

The rise comes off the back of a season where the 21-year-old has won 38 matches, more than his previous season-best of 33 wins.

Moreover, from the US Open last year, Auger-Aliassime has secured his four best Slam results.

He reached the fourth round in New York in 2020 before going as far in Melbourne. He then reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon before the last four at the US Open.

In fact, taking Wimbledon and the US Open together this year, he won more matches there than in his previous eight Slam appearances combined. That is, nine and eight wins respectively.

While his individual season is over, Auger-Aliassime joins Shapovalov and his other Canadian teammates in Madrid for the Davis Cup at the end of November.

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