Auger-Aliassime not retreating: "Now's a good time to work on things"

Nearly two months ago, Felix Auger-Aliassime touched down in California, and like many, arrived at Indian Wells with a mindset ready to dive into a grueling stretch of tennis. As we now know, BNP Paribas Open organizers had tremendous foresight in cancelling the tournament in wake of an intensifying COVID-19 outbreak, and when Miami soon followed suit, the 19-year-old flew back to his family in Montreal.

For the past several weeks, Auger-Aliassime has made the most of his time with those he holds closest. From long talks and sit-down meals to battles on the Scrabble board, the Canadian is appreciating moments that inspire him to self-reflect and stay humble—a quality that has ensured the only teen inside the ATP’s Top 50 doesn’t lose sight of his responsibilities as an athlete. Communicating daily with his fitness trainer, discipline and progress are top of mind, reinforced by Auger-Aliassime’s conviction that a break from life on the road should be exploited to the fullest advantage.

“We always complain we do not have enough weeks, or months to train. Now's a good time to work on things,” Auger-Aliassime said during a Zoom call Wednesday with mostly French-speaking media. “I made the best setup I could. It’s been good, so I’ll be doing that until I leave for Monaco.”

Matt Fitzgerald/Tennis Channel

A return to Monte Carlo—his primary training base—has been planned, but finalizing a timeline only came together recently for Auger-Aliassime. On May 4, Monaco will begin to reopen in phases, starting with salons and shops, whilst permitting groups of five people or less. Restaurants, cafes, beaches and casinos will remain closed until at least June.

“Seeing things open up little by little again in Europe and France, reaching out to Monaco, seeing it was a possibility that there would be opportunities to train and maybe compete, I thought it was a good time in the middle of May to go back,” said Auger-Aliassime. “The decision was made clearly the last few days.”

With the Tennis Point Exhibition set to become the first event to test the waters behind closed doors beginning Friday and further exhibition proposals circulating for discussion, it's plausible Auger-Aliassime will be back in a competitive environment this summer. For now, he’s looking forward to training on court in Monte Carlo and continuing with routines that have proven to be effective. Among his workload includes strengthening his upper body and reviewing past match footage, where the world No. 20 has dissected not only his own game, but the rest of the tour.

“I try to do it once or twice a week. I watch old matches, analyze them, talk through it with my team.” said Auger-Aliassime. “We watch how I move, watch other opponents and try to take what we can, even though we know must of them already. It’s always interesting to see any improvement I could do once I’m back on the court. It is a way to stay connected psychologically.”