Otacon
Hall of Fame

Published on November 24, 2017
It was last summer at the Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal. Around a table, Felix Auger-Aliassime and his coach Guillaume Marx discuss with Roger Federer, who gives ideas and advice. The conversation lasts an hour and a half, a privileged moment for the young Quebecker.
One would think that the entourage of Auger-Aliassime worked hard to obtain this meeting. After all, which promising player would not want to chat with the best player in history? In fact, it is rather the opposite that has occurred. Federer wanted to talk to him. Astonishing? Not at all, according to those who know the Swiss champion.
"Federer is a true tennis fan," says Marx. He is interested in results in small categories. It's pretty amazing. He knows the names of those who break through, watches videos of their matches and wants to meet them. That's why he wanted to talk with Felix. And the interview went well. "
Eugène Lapierre, the big boss of the Rogers Cup, adds: "Federer is a tennis maniac. His agent Tony Godsick told me that recently, before one of his matches, he sent messages of support to the U14 Swiss team who participated in an international competition! He follows everything, absolutely everything ... "
In October, Auger-Aliassime took part in the Basel tournament. During his stay in Switzerland, he trained twice with Federer. And the latter gave him a thousand tips. No, it was not silent tennis ...
Good news, Auger-Aliassime's courses at the Federer University will continue next month. The great champion has invited him to join a small group of players who will prepare the 2018 season in Dubai. Lucas Pouille, Alexander Dolgopolov and maybe even Andy Murray will be there. Three weeks of high-level tennis is the perfect way to improve his game. "Felix is very happy," adds Marx, who will accompany his protégé and will also take the opportunity to broaden his knowledge.
Auger-Aliassime will not return to Quebec after this training camp. He will fly to Australia, where he will play a tournament in Adelaide before qualifying matches for the first Grand Slam tournament of the season in Melbourne.
***
Denis Shapovalov was the revelation of the year in Canadian sport. His explosive game and endearing personality made him an instant star. But in the international tennis, the progress of Auger-Aliassime is also monitored, as Eugene Lapierre noted at recent meetings in England.
"I thought everyone would talk to me about Denis, but Felix also gets attention," he says. People tell me we are lucky to have two promising players of this caliber in Canada. "
Unlike the players of the generation of Milos Raonic, Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime will reach their peak at the moment when Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will slow down or retire. This will give them an incredible opportunity to establish themselves.
"International tennis officials are wondering what will happen after the Federer-Nadal era," Lapierre adds. More than ever, they are trying to identify the next charismatic stars of the circuit. "
Unless there's a surprise, Shapovalov will be one of those champions. But be careful: you have to be patient with him, as Louis Borfiga, elite development manager at Tennis Canada, reminds us. "Denis is ranked 50th in the world and it's an incredible feat," he says. If he stays at this level next year, it will be a great result. "
The Auger-Aliassime case is different. He is only 17 years old. His chances of a great career are excellent, but nothing can be taken for granted. And the people at Tennis Canada obviously wish him a smooth rise. They now know how much too quick success can be followed by an endless downfall.
Yes, now is the time to talk about Eugenie Bouchard ...
(...)Some paragraphs about Bouchard that don't interest me(...)
Will Bouchard's tribulations influence how Auger-Aliassime will lead his career? Let's hope he learns from it. In this regard, his ties with Federer, whose path is exemplary, are promising.
Of course, Federer, who owns with his agent Tony Godsick the representation firm Team 8, would probably not hate that Quebec's promising player joins his team. Regardless, by taking him under his wing, he contributes to his development.
All this reminds me of the day Ivan Lendl invited a 17-year-old to exchange a few shots with him in the late 80's. His name was Pete Sampras.
Translated from : http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chron...23/01-5144680-felix-a-luniversite-federer.php