Felix Auger-Aliassime believes the momentum from his best year can finally carry him deeper into Melbourne.
The 25-year-old arrives in Australia fresh off a season that saw him close the gap on the tour’s top names, aim for a strong United Cup showing, and target a deeper run at the Australian Open.
From a lean spell to a career year
“I have great memories playing in Australia in the past and remember a couple of years ago making a quarterfinal run here and feeling like I was close to my best level.”
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime’s season flipped after Canada won the Hopman Cup in July and he followed with a run that included 24 of 31 match wins and a return to the US Open semis, a result that restored his major form.
His Grand Slam history in Melbourne includes making the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park in 2022, and his run to the US Open semifinal was his second major final four appearance after reaching the semis at Flushing Meadows in 2021.
Form was not without tough opponents: of the stretch of losses he suffered, 7 came against two elite rivals with 5 versus Carlos Alcaraz and 2 against Jannik Sinner, showing he can press the very best.
He told reporters the improvements are measurable but still need refining, saying his aggressive style must be paired with high-level consistency and an improved serve if he is to genuinely challenge for the title.
United Cup and Canada’s young spark
The 25-year-old will headline Canada’s United Cup team as Victoria Mboko makes her debut alongside him, giving the roster a mix of established firepower and fast-rising youth that could trouble strong draws.
Mboko arrives as a breakout name after winning the Canadian Open, vaulting to world number 18 with victories over Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka and claiming her first WTA 1000 title in the process.
Canada opens against China on January 4 where they will face Zhu Lin and Zhang Zhizhen, then meet the Belgian pairing of Elise Mertens and Zizou Bergs two days later, a schedule that offers a quick early test for the squad.
What to expect in Melbourne
Auger-Aliassime is candid about the work ahead, admitting that reaching the top requires everything to click: serve form, forward movement and consistency under pressure, items he has targeted during the off-season and team practices.
The newly-wed player has also said the confidence from his recent run and personal life gives him a calmness heading into the new year, and he intends to carry that into both the United Cup and the Australian Open campaign.
Ranking-wise and form-wise, the Canadian looks like a genuine contender to push the tournament favorites, and his United Cup matches will provide an early measuring stick against players he may meet later in Melbourne.
Join the conversation on Facebook.
Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
