The protagonist of the Davis Cup final, Happy Auger-Alsospoke of the first Salad Bowl for Canada as something “special” that he will remember forever and hopes to take this generation of tennis players “very far” in the future.
At 22, Auger-Aliassime has made 2022 the year of his consecration as a world top tennis player after giving his nation the first Davis Cup after beating Australian Alex De Miñaur 6-3, 6-4, of which he said that “he’s one of the hardest guys to beat on the court, a tough competitor.”
The Montreal-born tennis player was not for topics after the gloria: “Right now I’m not going to think about what I can improve, really”, he joked, “I’ll leave that for next year. Right now I’m just happy, however I played.”
The No. 6 in the world recounted in first person the scene of the last point that decided the match: “I saw the ball coming and I thought: this is it. After seeing the ball in the air he knew it was going to go out. My legs just fell off,” he recalled, visibly happy, surrounded by his entire team.
For his group he had words of gratitude: “Having Frank (Dancevic) and everyone rushing me and yelling was amazing. It is a special team. Hopefully, we will be able to take this generation very far.”
After his masterpiece, crowning himself the prodigal son of Canadian tennis, he knows that the one in Malaga was not just another final: “I’ve played many matches over the years, but days like today you remember them for a long time.”
At the end of the appearance, a man approached him to tell him that he reminded him of Djokovic in the way he played, a compliment that he appreciated. Minutes before he had spoken about the Serbian, present this Sunday at le Carpena: “We have just seen Novak (Djokovic), who has been trying to improve until today, that is why he has won everything: he is a model”.
His outstanding physical condition and rhythm have been the main ingredients, beyond his talent for the racket: “I felt good physically. Tired? I may be tomorrow, but today was not the time to be. I only have to win in straight sets like I did, but you have to be ready for any kind of challenge.”
As he settled on the last question he answered, Auger-Aliassime will have to “be ready to go down and fight, take the lead and keep it” in the long years of his career that lie ahead.
