Felix Auger-Aliassime returns to US Open semifinals four years after major breakthrough

Coming into the final major of the year, Felix Auger-Aliassime’s 2025 season was a mixture of high and lows.

By early February, he added two trophies to his collection and tacked on a runner-up finish in Dubai. By July, his second-round loss at Wimbledon dropped him to 2-3 across the first three majors.

On Wednesday, Auger-Aliassime produced a moment worth celebrating when he overcame Alex de Minaur to reach his second US Open semifinal after making his Grand Slam breakthrough in Queens four years earlier.

The eighth-seeded De Minaur held a set point to take a commanding two-set lead, before Auger-Aliassime dug deeper for a 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-6 (4) victory. The No. 25 seed also recovered from 2-5 down in the fourth set to avoid playing a decider.

“Four years ago, it feels like more. It was a tough couple of years, but it feels even better now to be back in the semifinals,” Auger-Aliassime said during his on-court interview.

Auger-Aliassime’s effort at Flushing Meadows was preceded by a quarterfinal showing at the Cincinnati Open, though none of the Canadian’s three victories there involved beating a Top 50 opponent. In New York, Auger-Aliassime has now knocked off a pair of Top 10 foes, adding to his four-set win over third-ranked Alexander Zverev in the third round.

Before this tournament, the 25-year-old’s last completed win against a Top 10 competitor came at the season-launching United Cup when he rallied past Taylor Fritz.

This run is arguably sweeter than Auger-Aliassime’s first trip to the final four at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. In 2021, he led Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 3-1 when his then teenage opponent was forced to retire due to an adductor injury in his coming out party on the major stage. Against De Minaur, Auger-Aliassime navigated his way through a four-hour, 10-minute battle to get across the finish line.

“It’s been an amazing tournament so far. It’s not over,” he asserted. “There’s still some tennis to play and the biggest challenges are yet to come. That’s what I live for, that’s what I train for. So I’m going to show up and be ready for my match on Friday.”

A tall order likely awaits the Montreal native. World No. 1 and reigning champion Jannik Sinner meets countryman Lorenzo Musetti for the final semifinal berth during Wednesday’s night session inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Sinner has triumphed at the past three major hard-court events, while also adding a Wimbledon title and Roland Garros final to his résumé. In Cincinnati, the Italian handily dispatched Auger-Aliassime with a 6-0 6-2 performance.