Open Occitanie: Félix Auger-Aliassime first to qualify for the final after his victory against Jesper de Jong

Félix Auger-Aliassime is the first to qualify for the final of the Open Occitanie. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (seeded No. 2, 23rd in the world) qualified for the final of the Open Occitanie by winning the first semi-final against Dutchman Jesper de Jong (131st), 6-4, 7-6 [4], on Saturday, February 1st.

It seems that he likes France: for the fourth time in his career – and the first in Montpellier – Félix Auger-Aliassime (24 years old) has qualified for the final of a French tournament, after twice in Marseille and Lyon. Still not managing to win every time.

If he ever manages to maintain the level of play he has shown since the beginning of the week in Hérault, the Canadian will be a serious candidate for victory in the final, but he will have to be wary of the American Aleksandar Kovacevic, who beat Alexander Bublik in the quarter-finals in quick succession, then Andrey-Rublev in the semi-finals.

Eliminated at the gates of this final last year by the future winner Alexander Bublik, FAA this time won in two sets against the very surprising Jesper de Jong (24 years old, 131st), 6-4, 7-6 [4], after a real fight 2:03 AM.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

de Jong did not do badly

On Saturday afternoon in a sold-out Sud de France Arena, the Montreal native still had to work hard against a Dutchman who did not disgrace himself. With many variations in his game, between drop shots, volleyed serves, positioning on the return or alternating on serve.

In the first set, de Jong nevertheless held his own, saving four break points at 2-2, before giving up just after at 3-3. Letting a very solid Auger-Aliassime slip away in this first set to lead the score (6-4).

FAA saves two set points

But without really knowing why, the Montreal native was broken at the start of the second set at 2-1, with a very bad service game and a lot of errors to be led 3-1… Before breaking back in the process with a marvelous return.

After getting back to 4-4, Auger-Aliassime came close to breaking his opponent's serve again with two unconverted break points. The turning point of the match then took place in the next game with two set points saved by the former world No. 6 on his serve thanks to two very bad returns from the Dutchman on second serve.

This did not seem to affect him however since de Jong was then very solid to take the thing into the tie break. During which he ended up suffering the play of a FAA much too strong to hope to go to a third and final set.