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World no. 11 Felix Auger-Aliassime will not compete at the next week's ATP 500 event in Halle. Felix experienced an early Roland Garros loss, struggling with a knee injury and deciding to take more rest ahead of a possible Wimbledon comeback.
Auger-Aliassime is 13-10 in 2023, collecting only 700 ATP points and standing outside the top-25 on the ATP Live ranking list. Felix lost in the Australian Open fourth round before reaching the quarter-final in Rotterdam and the semi-final in Dubai, his best result of the year.
Felix was the Indian Wells quarter-finalist, losing to Carlos Alcaraz after a solid display. The Canadian has won only two matches since Miami, losing ground completely and feeling pain in his left knee. Felix made his Halle debut in 2021, playing well and losing a thrilling semi-final to Ugo Humbert.
Two rounds earlier, Auger-Aliassime defeated the most decorated player of the tournament, Roger Federer, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 44 minutes.
Felix Auger-Aliassime will not play in Halle next week.
It was the first encounter between the players who share birthdays and Federer's first match against an opponent born in the 2000s!
Felix played well in sets two and three to oust a ten-time champion and advance into the last eight a week after playing the Stuttgart final. The young gun fired 13 aces and faced only one break point, costing him the first set.
After that, he had a massive advantage and sailed through his games while converting three out of 15 break chances to leave Federer behind. The more experienced player defended all four break chances in the opening set and seized his only opportunity on the return to build the advantage.
Serving at 5-4, Roger fired two winners at 15-40 to erase break points and bring the set home with a volley winner. Raising his level, Felix lost only seven points behind the initial shot in set number two, keeping the pressure on the other side and seizing the ninth break chance since the start of the clash to grab the set and gain momentum.
Federer struggled on serve in games four and six and fell on the fifth break chance to find himself 4-2 down. Felix closed the set in style and pushed even harder in the decider when he lost only two points behind the initial shot and kept the pressure on the other side.
Roger could not match that pace in his games, struggling increasingly and getting broken twice to find himself 4-0 down. The Canadian never looked back and sealed the deal with an ace and 5-2 to serve Roger's earliest Halle exit.
A year ago, Auger-Aliassime lost to Hubert Hurkacz in two tie breaks. Felix will try to return to action in Mallorca and get a couple of matches on grass ahead of Wimbledon.