Felix Auger-Aliassime did it again in Montpellier.
The Canadian defended his Open Occitanie title, outlasting Adrian Mannarino in a straight-sets final and reminding the indoor season who owns the south of France in February.
Montpellier repeat and a gritty final
It’s amazing emotions to win again here,
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime began the title match in ruthless fashion, running off eight straight points to open the scoreboard and never letting Mannarino settle into a rhythm that would threaten his hold on the match.
Neither player had a break chance until the 10th game, when Mannarino erased a championship point with an unreturned serve, but Auger-Aliassime stayed composed and turned the pressure into a straight-sets victory.
He closed the tiebreaker by winning five consecutive points from 4-2 down and wrapped up the title without a final-set collapse, underlining the kind of match management that wins trophies and quiets doubters.
Early tour setbacks and a strong bounce back
Auger-Aliassime had an inauspicious start to 2026 when he was forced to retire with cramps against Nuno Borges in the first round of the Australian Open, yet he used that setback as fuel in Montpellier and returned to confident form.
He also had to navigate a notable earlier test in Montpellier, beating wild card Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-6(3) in their first head-to-head meeting, a result that sent the defending champion into the deeper rounds with momentum.
Talking about Wawrinka after that match, Auger-Aliassime admitted, “I know him very well,” and added that “It was great to share the court with him,” an acknowledgement of the Swiss veteran’s influence and the occasion.
Montpellier also highlights Auger-Aliassime’s dominance on indoor courts, where he has accumulated a tour-leading 86 victories since the start of the decade and lifted seven titles in those conditions, making him a perennial favorite in similar events.
With the title, he will return to No. 6 in the ATP rankings and sit less than 500 points behind Lorenzo Musetti, putting himself in striking distance of a Top 5 return if he keeps this level of play.
That ranking bounce matters for seedings and draws as the indoor swing and spring hard-court events approach, and the confidence of defending a title always translates into bolder choices and clearer tactical decisions on court.
Tournament ripple effects and what comes next
Auger-Aliassime’s next opponent will be either sixth seed Arthur Fils or Ugo Blanchet, a match that offers a meaningful step toward what would be his ninth tour-level crown and another boost in the rankings race.
The Montpellier draw also produced an upset when Luca Nardi beat second seed Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-3, scoring his third Top 20 win and moving into his second tour-level quarter-final, a result that shook up the bottom half of the board.
Other seeds like Tallon Griekspoor recorded wins too, and the combination of veteran tests, rising youngsters, and indoor specialists made this edition of the Open Occitanie feel like a compact preview of the season ahead.
For Auger-Aliassime, the title is both a personal vindication after the Australian Open and an indicator that his indoor form remains elite; his balance of power and patience in key moments shows he can close out tight matches against experienced opponents.
History and present converged in Montpellier as the 25-year-old Canadian banked another trophy on a surface and setting where he has quietly become one of the most successful players of his generation.
Expect that confidence to follow him into upcoming events, where ranking points, seeding advantages, and the psychological lift of a title defense can matter as much as any single match win.
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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.
