ATP Basel – Felix Auger-Aliassime easily dominates world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz (6-3, 6-2) and rushes into the final

There has never been any suspense this Saturday in Basel. Opposed to world number one Carlos Alcaraz in a semi-final that smelled of powder, Félix Auger-Aliassime overcame the last winner of the US Open in two short sets (6-3, 6-2). If the Spaniard is struggling to find the sensations that were his until the end of the summer, the Canadian has qualified for a third consecutive final after his titles in Florence and Antwerp. On the strength of his 12 consecutive victories, he once again proved that he was indeed one of the men to watch at the end of the season.

An aces machine

With 37 aces and no break point to discard (!) since the beginning of the week, Félix Auger-Aliassime advanced with certainty when entering the center court of Basel, to play his third semi-final of after. And unsurprisingly, the protege of Frédéric Fontang was able to rely on his main weapon to disgust Carlos Alcaraz: service. Able to vary the areas, the Canadian never allowed his vis-à-vis to find the key.

If the Murcian was deluded for a time, notably saving two first break points in the fourth game, his inability to enter the field never allowed him to take the upper hand. Worse, the protege of Juan-Carlos Ferrero showed an unusual feverishness in key moments, repeatedly blanking forehand warheads outside the limits of the court. It was enough for Félix Auger-Aliassime to rush in and make the break at the best of times, 4-3 in his favor, a few minutes before easily concluding on his face-off (6-3).

Alcaraz confused

At the end of a first act during which he made no ace for three double faults and hit only one winning shot (not culminating, in addition, only 11% success behind his second), “Carlitos” tried to put his head back in place, taking the first game with authority. But neither his astonishing attempts at amortization nor his few banderillas on the forehand side allowed him to escape the Auger-Aliassime tornado. His lack of lucidity in certain phases of the game, evidenced by the passing at the end of the race of the Canadian at 6-3, 3-1 on which he did not cover the line, contrasted with the solidity displayed by his opponent throughout. along this part.

If he can still progress in several compartments of the game, such as when the exchange settles on the backhand side or when he goes up on the volley, Félix Auger-Aliassime has perhaps never seemed so sure of his strengths, showing no moment of excitement when it comes to the points that count.

Two days after having, by his own admission, produced one if not the best performance of his career against Miomir Kecmanovic in the round of 16 (6-1, 6-0), here he is, at 22, in the final for the 13th time in his career on the circuit, the fifth in 2022 but above all the third in a row. He will face, on Sunday, Holger Rune or Roberto Bautista to validate his participation in the meeting of the Masters, scheduled in two weeks in Turin (November 13 to 20).