Felix Auger-Aliassime successfully defended his title at the Open Occitanie in Montpellier, overcoming a valiant effort from local favorite Adrian Mannarino in the final. The match concluded with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6(4), marking the Canadian’s victory as he clinched his ninth career title, maintaining his dominance on indoor hard courts, where he has claimed eight of his nine trophies.
In a match lasting just 96 minutes, Auger-Aliassime set the tone early by winning the first eight points and secured the first set with his second break of Mannarino’s serve in the ninth game. The second set was a tighter contest, heavily reliant on serve, with both players holding strong until Auger-Aliassime created a break point opportunity at 5-4. However, Mannarino countered that challenge with an unreturnable serve. The momentum swung when Auger-Aliassime, trailing 2-4 in the tiebreak, won five points in a row to seal the match.
The foundation of Auger-Aliassime’s victory was undoubtedly his powerful serve, which saw him hit 13 aces throughout the final. “Adrian is always a very tough opponent to play against; that’s why all of us on Tour have such respect for him,” said Auger-Aliassime. He noted the significance of his win, expressing his delight: “I knew it was going to be a tough match today, so I’m really happy. It’s amazing emotions to win again here.”
This title run also included notable victories over seasoned players like Stan Wawrinka and rising stars Arthur Fils and Titouan Droguet, further solidifying Auger-Aliassime’s status as the most successful Canadian player in the Open Era with this latest triumph. He has now achieved a remarkable 89 indoor tour-level match victories this decade, leading all players in that category.
After an early exit from the Australian Open due to cramps, Auger-Aliassime is set to compete next in Rotterdam, where he previously celebrated victory in 2022, marking the beginning of his current title run.
