The Ascent To The Throne Begins For Felix Auger Aliassime

[DRII]

It was a close match, his fellow Canadian countered well but Felix remains a bit of mystery. His has a powerful and spinny forehand which should help him to construct points but he falls away the more the rally goes on. One reasons should be that many attack his clearly weaker backhand. As a consequence he shifts towards the back and takes more with the front but the low % of inside-out winner is remarkable.

I stated it before and saw it confirmed: He is the best server among the competent under 21 but he leans on it too much. Many praise his athleticism and speed but he returns subpar. The latter clearly disadvantages him in tie breakers where he gets only little points off his opponent.

He should be the bodily and mentally most mature of lot and has the highest amount of experience of high level tennis but seems to suffer the most under pressure. Lots of buts and few explanations.

he clearly suffers from high anxiety on the court, with no reliable relief shot (slice for many players) or method (like heavy top spin ala Nadal) to deal with it.

I wonder if his heart issue, that affected him in the past, has anything to do with it???

 

[Rovesciarete]

Yeah, don't know...

I really like to look at the 4-6 win% in part because the Great 3 ranks so highly on it. Of course this has to be done with a look towards the 1-3 and the 7-9. Federer leads and his the highest Big3 on the 1-3% while Nadal dominates the 7-9%.* Djokovic is a bit of a stat mix. Very logical stats with Federer serving best and being the most aggressive with Nadal playing more on clay and returning better. Djokovic is in many regards a brilliant blend.

Felix does especially poorly there which seems to indicate that he can't properly manage the transition from serve and return to neutral play. Worse, his 1-3% dipped under 50% in the last 52 weeks. Before he could grab with his 51% enough points to win a lot more matches.

*Nadal trended recently to shorter lengths!

 

[Joseph_K]

Due to the large and ongoing number of withdrawals from next week's ATP 1000 tournament in Paris, Felix had been seeded no. 14 in the singles event. His first-round opponent will be the Croat Marin Cilic. The winner of that match will face either the home hope Corentin Moutet or a qualifier or lucky loser.

 

[mike danny]

he clearly suffers from high anxiety on the court, with no reliable relief shot (slice for many players) or method (like heavy top spin ala Nadal) to deal with it.

I wonder if his heart issue, that affected him in the past, has anything to do with it???

Dude better be careful in these demanding times. You don't want to catch Covid if you have a heart condition.

 

[Sparlingo]

Dude better be careful in these demanding times. You don't want to catch Covid if you have a heart condition.

The heart condition is/was supraventriculat tachycardia, which was likely fixed:

"It took a lot of years because they couldn’t find where it was coming from, the palpitations. I went on the table again, and they were able to find it – it was really easy," he said. "I know a lot of people who have done that surgery and it’s pretty common. It’s not something that I even think about any more." - Felix 2 years ago.

 

[Red Rick]

The heart condition is/was supraventriculat tachycardia, which was likely fixed:

"It took a lot of years because they couldn’t find where it was coming from, the palpitations. I went on the table again, and they were able to find it – it was really easy," he said. "I know a lot of people who have done that surgery and it’s pretty common. It’s not something that I even think about any more." - Felix 2 years ago.

IIRC it's just one small group of cardiac cells firing signals at a wrong frequencey/out of phase which they just burn away or something right?

 

[stringertom]

IIRC it's just one small group of cardiac cells firing signals at a wrong frequencey/out of phase which they just burn away or something right?

If Félix underwent the same procedure performed by Mardy Fish’s doctors then he had a catheter inserted into his groin to allow arthroscopic ablation of heart cells producing the out-of-sync signals causing arrhythmia.

Due to the procedure being developed only 20 years ago the long term efficiency of ablation has not been established. It may or not be a permanent fix for all patients but the very large majority of patients have needed no further treatment after the initial procedure.

 

[Down_the_line]

Felix, like so many other young players these days, just needs to find his consistency. That's it. He's such a gifted athlete and so naturally talented. Great technique. Smart head on his shoulders. He also needs someone to coach some variety into his game if he's not going to do it himself.

Looking forward to seeing what he can out together this coming week in Paris.

 

[Musterrific]

About to eat a bagel from has-been Cilic, lol.

 

[Yugram]

Looks like the ascent to the throne ends.

 

[speedysteve]

Petch keeps going on about him being too far up court after serve and having to play half volleys on good depth returns.
He's just taking time away from himself.

Looking at the Hawkeye summary there is something to this.

Fine when there's short returns..

 

[Down_the_line]

Very disappointed.

He just needs to keep working. It'll come.

 

[Joseph_K]

Consolation is, or might be, doing well in the doubles after losing early in the singles. Earlier on Thursday Felix and Hubert Hurkacz of Poland achieved a notable win at the Master Series 1000 tournament in Paris when they defeated the top seeds, Robert Farah of Colombia and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 to reach the quarter-finals.

 

[Ironwood]

Yes, FAA gets to hang around Paris a little longer!

 

[InvisibleSoul]

Consolation is, or might be, doing well in the doubles after losing early in the singles. Earlier on Thursday Felix and Hubert Hurkacz of Poland achieved a notable win at the Master Series 1000 tournament in Paris when they defeated the top seeds, Robert Farah of Colombia and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 to reach the quarter-finals.

The entire match is available here:

I watched the first set and the super tiebreak in super speed mode and it looks like Hurkacz carried them in this match.

 

[Sparlingo]

Something that was needed, Felix breaks with long time coach:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/tennis/art...EPKozmma5tbov_a9pwUFzX5YP_EqLcUuaP7VVT4_dHwTE

 

[Slowtwitcher]

Losing to Cilic was the last straw

 

[Red Rick]

If I'd known his coach was named Marx I'd have been a fan.

 

[Slowtwitcher]

If I'd known his coach was named Marx I'd have been a fan.

FAA has clearly rejected socialism.

 

[Red Rick]

FAA has clearly rejected socialism.

He was not sharing runner up trophies with the people anyway

 

[Pmasterfunk]

FAA has clearly rejected socialism.

Was that before or after moving to Monte Carlo?

 

[Slowtwitcher]

Was that before or after moving to Monte Carlo?

You are right, he was always a bourgeois.

 

[gogo]

What the heck is wrong with the people posting here? Felix is a smart, kind, talented person and yet people are taking potshots at him. Are they jealous? Are they trolls?

 

[Slowtwitcher]

What the heck is wrong with the people posting here? Felix is a smart, kind, talented person and yet people are taking potshots at him. Are they jealous? Are they trolls?

In hindsight, I regret calling him a bourgeois

 

[gogo]

.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

In hindsight, I regret calling him a bourgeois

I mean if a professional athlete isn't a bourgeois I don't know what is.

Not impressed with your comment.

Anarcho-socialists are people, too.

 

[Joseph_K]

So, the great run by Felix and Hubert Hurkacz continues in Paris. Having beaten the no. 1 seeds on Thursday, yesterday they put out the no. 7 seeds, the Australian John Peers and Michael Venus of New Zealand, by the score of 4-6, 7-5 [11-9]. And earlier today (Saturday) they defeated the no. 4 seeds, Łukasz Kubot of Poland and Marcelo Melo of Brazil, 6-2, 1-6, [10-5]. In tomorrow’s final they will play either the no. 2 seeds and U.S. Open champions, Mate Pavić of Croatia and Bruno Soares of Brazil, or the no. 8 seeds, Jürgen Melzer of Austria and Frenchman Édouard Roger-Vasselin.

Felix has also entered next week’s tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he has been seeded no. 2 in the singles event. Having received a bye in the first round, he will take on either the Italian Salvatore Caruso or home hope Dimitar Kuzmanov in the second round.

 

[romeo8880]

What the heck is wrong with the people posting here? Felix is a smart, kind, talented person and yet people are taking potshots at him. Are they jealous? Are they trolls?

You know him personally?

 

[James P]

Would be kind of nuts if his first ATP title was at a doubles contest, especially being a Masters breakthrough.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

Would be kind of nuts if his first ATP title was at a doubles contest, especially being a Masters breakthrough.

I hope he wins tomorrow, and I like Hurkacz as well.

 

[BeatlesFan]

What the heck is wrong with the people posting here? Felix is a smart, kind, talented person and yet people are taking potshots at him. Are they jealous? Are they trolls?

I agree that Felix is a great person and very kind to fans. He's very classy and well spoken.

I seriously doubt anyone is jealous of him, TTW is a tough crowd even on its best day. Felix has underperformed in finals (to put it mildly) and continually loses matches he should win. To criticize that aspect of his career is completely legitimate. I like Felix a lot but it's totally fair to criticize him. To not criticize a player is hagiography, not normal fandom.

 

[AMGF]

Something that was needed, Felix breaks with long time coach:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/tennis/art...EPKozmma5tbov_a9pwUFzX5YP_EqLcUuaP7VVT4_dHwTE

That was a much needed change. Nothing wrong with Marx but what more could he learn from him?

Hopefully he can find someone to bring him to the next level: top10 and a title.

 

[Fedinkum]

The youngster got all the tools and temperment, I hope he finds a coach that can inject believes and tennis brain into him.

 

[gogo]

I agree that Felix is a great person and very kind to fans. He's very classy and well spoken.

I seriously doubt anyone is jealous of him, TTW is a tough crowd even on its best day. Felix has underperformed in finals (to put it mildly) and continually loses matches he should win. To criticize that aspect of his career is completely legitimate. I like Felix a lot but it's totally fair to criticize him. To not criticize a player is hagiography, not normal fandom.

I have no problem with people saying he's underperformed his potential. What I have a problem with is people attacking his character and his effort. Those are two different things.

I hope he gets a new coach who can bring the best out of him. That's what he needs.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

And he wins in doubles with Hurkacz, saving 5 MPs!

 

[InvisibleSoul]

His first career ATP title is a Masters 1000... in doubles.

Never saw that one coming!

 

[James P]

Holy crap, I didn't realize they already played. Nice win for both of the young lads.

 

[daphne]

One title wonder.

 

[Sparlingo]

One title wonder.

Boo

 

[Kalin]

Maybe this is what the future has for him - a doubles champion and a good singles player. Not the worst gig in the world, if you ask me.

 

[Sparlingo]

Felix moves 174 places to 77th in doubles. never having been in the 100s.

 

[AMGF]

One title wonder.

Yeah the only 20yo in the top20 will never win anything in his life ever again.
Just like FAA you also won a title today, but yours is for stupidest comment on a tennis forum written in 3 words or less.

 

[stringertom]

Yeah the only 20yo in the top20 will never win anything in his life ever again.
Just like FAA you also won a title today, but yours is for stupidest comment on a tennis forum written in 3 words or less.

Finally @sureshs has competition for his Should Federer Retire thread from 2007 and his equally fraudulent Should Nadal Retire thread from early 2008.

 

[AMGF]

Finally @sureshs has competition for his Should Federer Retire thread from 2007 and his equally fraudulent Should Nadal Retire thread from early 2008.

That’s next level terrible. At least the stupid comment on FAA was buried in a thread, not out there in the thread title.

 

[stringertom]

That’s next level terrible. At least the stupid comment on FAA was buried in a thread, not out there in the thread title.

That’s our Big Phella for you!

 

[Down_the_line]

Hopefully the doubles title gives FAA a big confidence boost, he ends the year with a solid performance in Sofia, and he really breaks out in 2021!

 

[Sparlingo]

A disappointing loss by Felix today dashing my high hopes for this tournament. A melancholy end for my two boys for the year. Maybe pospisil can do something here.

 

[romeo8880]

Another embarrassing loss for Felix. Loses to an awful indoor hard court player....the same player who nearly lost to someone named kuzmanov just 2 days ago

 

[Mainad]

End of season burnout for both FAA and Shapo. Both need now to focus on getting back into form for 2021.

 

[Baseline_Bungle]

Felix looked awful again today - a fittingly low note to end his very disappointing sophomore season. But hey, how 'bout some credit where credit is due? My boy Sabbo was absolutely EPIC! Perhaps we have found the one true heir to the pugnacious, perseverant Paolino Lorenzi!