ATP Tour
The most productive in the world indoors! Felix returns to the final in Montpellier
On Sunday he will fight for the title with Adrian Mannarino
February 07, 2026
@Open Occitanie | TV Sports Events
Felix Auger-Aliassime is No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
By ATP Editorial in Spanish
Felix Auger-Aliassime is the player with the most matches won on indoor fast courts this decade. And its prestigious status under these conditions only strengthens with time. This Saturday in the semifinals of the Occitanie Open, the Canadian reached 88 victories on these courts, and on Sunday he will seek to continue strengthening his great legacy.
The current champion in Montpellier won 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 against local Titouan Droguet, from the qualifying phase, present in the first ATP Tour semifinal of his career and who had never faced a Top 10 before this Saturday.
This result sends the first seed to his 21st final on the circuit, and his 13th on indoor courts. Seven of his eight career titles have come indoors. On Sunday he will seek to defend an ATP title for the second time, and first since he was two-time champion at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam (2022-2023).
“I felt like even in the second set, my chance would come,” said the 25-year-old, who held firm against Droguet’s powerful serve. “It was good to have won the first set. It gave me time to figure out how to break his serve. I think I served much better in the third set. I also think I returned better on the second serve. I was hitting the ball more cleanly and directing it with great precision to different targets.”
The No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings now faces a new battle against a Frenchman and against the crowd. His rival will be Adrian Mannarino, with whom he has a 1-1 record. The Lexus ATP HeadToHead between the two has taken place in Cincinnati 2023, where the Frenchman prevailed, and in Madrid 2024, where the American won.
“I love it. I like playing like that,” said the world number 8 about the atmosphere when facing a Frenchman in France. “It’s much better to play with this atmosphere than to play without an audience or without the audience participating in the game. It’s great, without a doubt.”
Mannarino, your next obstacle
Adrian Mannarino continues to defy time. The 37-year-old Frenchman took advantage of his local status to reach the 16th final of his career this Saturday in Montpellier. With great talent on the indoor court, he beat the American Martin Damm 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to secure the fight for the title.
The Frenchman needed to come back from a game of great emotions, with an opponent completely loose on the other side of the net. Present for the first time in an ATP Tour semifinal, Damm tried to continue the best week of his career, putting one of the most experienced players in the draw on the ropes. The American connected 23 aces and fought in the indoor from Montpellier, where Mannarino had to push himself to find the way to victory.
The Frenchman has completed a week of strong emotions in Montpellier, going from saving three match points in the second round (vs. Humbert) to standing in the title match. The Frenchman will try to lift an ATP Tour trophy three years later, with victory at Sofia 2023 the most recent milestone in his record.
The Occitanie Open in Montpellier is one of the most traditional indoor events for French tennis. Since its introduction on the ATP Tour calendar in the 1987 season, nine local figures have managed to lift the individual trophy, including multiple champions such as Richard Gasquet (4) and Gael Monfils (3). In addition, former No. 1 of the PIF ATP Rankings such as Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick and Jannik Sinner appear on the honor roll.
Did you know that…?
Martin Damm was looking to reach an ATP Tour final following in his father’s footsteps 30 years later. Martin Damm Sr. reached the first of his five ATP Tour finals (0-5) in Seoul 1996.
