Felix Auger-Aliassime continued to impress tennis fans on Thursday, advancing to the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals after beating Jiri Lehecka.
Auger-Aliassime, the top seed in Dubai, defeated Lehecka 6-3, 7-6 and will face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.
The Canadian is a star on the ATP Tour, as was Roger Federer when he competed on the professional circuit.
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Federer, a 20-time major champion, attended the Dubai event this week and was seen in the Centre Court stands watching compatriot Stan Wawrinka play.
Auger-Aliassime has spoken about Federer’s presence at the tournament, expressing why he is so thankful for the Swiss legend.
Why Felix Auger-Aliassime is grateful for Roger Federer
Speaking about Federer’s appearance at the Dubai tournament, Auger-Aliassime initially joked about why the Swiss legend was there, before expressing his admiration for the Swiss maestro’s kindness.
As per the Dubai Tennis Championships Instagram, the Canadian said: “Yeah, Roger was here. I guess he’s bored! [laughs]. He likes to come back to the tennis!
“Jokes aside, I mean we all love Roger, but personally I’ve always loved him obviously as a player.
“He invited me here in Dubai when I was 17 to practise with him, so I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me that opportunity.
“It’s so nice to see him come back to events. He was in Australia, talking with the players, being in the locker room, and now he’s back here watching his friend Stan. He loves the game. He was here with his parents – it’s unreal to see.
“So I’m glad he’s still around.”
Federer retired from his playing career in 2022 after competing with Rafael Nadal in doubles at the Laver Cup.
Across a career that spanned more than 20 years, Federer became one of the most beloved sportspeople in history.
He is also one of the most successful players in history. With 103 ATP titles to his name, Federer sits second behind Jimmy Connors [109] on the all-time list.
Felix Auger-Aliassime’s first ATP Tour match win
In 2018, Felix Auger-Aliassime made his debut on the ATP Tour at the Rotterdam Open, where he lost in the first round to Filip Krajinovic.
A month later, Auger-Aliassime qualified for his first Masters 1000 main draw in Indian Wells. The Canadian defeated Vasek Pospisil in the first round, recording his first ATP Tour match win.
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Three months later, Auger-Aliassime became the youngest player to defend an ATP Challenger title in tennis history.
The Canadian won the ATP Challenger in Lyon, defeating Johan Taylor in the final.
