“I could have lost this match a while ago”: how Félix Auger-Aliassime won the Open Occitanie thanks to working on his mental strength ?

Thanks to his success in a magnificent final of the Open Occitanie against Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-2, [7] 6-7, 7-6 [2], Félix Auger-Aliassime won his seventh title on Sunday, his sixth indoors. In particular thanks to a regained mental strength.

The caribou is still a fascinating animal. Capable of withstanding extreme temperatures that can reach -50 degrees. One of the symbols of Canada. It does not have the same beautiful coat as the totem animal of the country with the maple leaf. But it is just as impressive.

On Sunday, after his victory against the American Aleksandar Kovacevic (6-2, 7-6 [7], 7-6 [2]), in what could be the greatest final of the Open Occitanie in 15 editions, Félix Auger-Aliassime (23rd in the world) nevertheless showed that he was made of the same thick leather.

The one who allows you to turn everything around, even when you are pushed to your limits by a player whose game is of rare insolence and elegance. To win the seventh title of his career at only 24 years old.

“I try to keep learning that sometimes you can't control everything”

Until now, the Montreal native was not known for having a mental toughness. Quite the opposite. But his second title since the beginning of the year proved that his pre-season work paid off. And it served him well on Sunday.

“Certainly I could have lost that match a while ago, yes, he added in a press conference. The self-talk wasn't always positive and I could be affected by a certain level of frustration.”

“I try to continue to learn that sometimes you can't control everything, he continued. Last year, I had a similar situation to today's match at Wimbledon. I was very frustrated to have lost a tie-break where I had a match point. I had come out of my match and I had lost while I was better at the beginning.”

Kovacevic overtaken everywhere…

On Sunday, FAA was clearly in Montpellier. The former world No. 6 walked on water from the very beginning, managing to win five games in a row and the first set against a Kovacevic who was clearly less liberated than in his previous victories against Alexander Bublik or Andrey Rublev.

“I was making a lot of unforced errors, which I haven't done at all this week, fortunately for me, explained the American afterwards. But I had a problem with my shorts at the end of the first set and when I went back to the locker room, I told myself that I had to fight as hard as possible and that my only chance of winning was to be aggressive.”

… Before to wake up

Fortunately for the sold-out crowd at the Sud de France Arena, the world number 102 managed to implement his plan and look Auger-Aliassime in the eye. All this gave an incredible fight between the two men who did not concede any break point in this second set, needing a tie-break to separate them.

A decisive game that Kovacevic even won after saving two match points. That is all the credit of the Canadian, who had every reason to be worried, like in this game at 5-5 in the last set, where he had to defend a break point at the worst possible moment.

Which he saved before dominating the second tie-break of the match, ending Kovacevic's American dream, no doubt a little tired from his seven-match week.

Auger-Aliassime continues, with this success, to be the player who has won the most indoor matches since 2022. “If I'm so strong, it's maybe because I come from a country where it's minus 20 degrees half the year”, he laughed.

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