In a grueling four-hour and ten-minute battle, Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Alex de Minaur with a score of 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, 7-6(4) to secure a place in his second career US Open semifinal. The match was a tense and tumultuous affair, with both players struggling at times to find their best form amidst a flurry of nerves and unforced errors. However, it was the Canadian who held his nerve in the decisive moments, overcoming a spirited comeback attempt from the Australian.
De Minaur started strong, taking the first set and seizing the momentum. He had a golden opportunity to take a commanding two-sets-to-love lead, even holding a set point in the second-set tie-break. But Auger-Aliassime showed immense grit and resilience, saving the set point with a clutch ace and ultimately winning the tie-break to level the match. This marked a major turning point, as the Canadian began to find his rhythm and impose his power on the match.
The third set was another tight affair, with momentum swinging back and forth. De Minaur, a relentless competitor, managed to break back and level the set at 5-5 after being down a break. However, Auger-Aliassime immediately broke him again and served out the set with an ace to take a two-sets-to-one lead. The win was a testament to the 25-year-old's maturity and composure under pressure.
Despite the deficit, De Minaur refused to give up. He roared to an early break in the fourth set, leading 4-1 and appearing poised to force a deciding fifth set. But once again, Auger-Aliassime clawed his way back, breaking his opponent to love in the ninth game and eventually forcing a final tie-break. In the decisive moments, it was the Canadian's superior firepower and mental toughness that gave him the edge, as he powered through the tie-break to seal the hard-fought victory.
After the match, Auger-Aliassime was candid about the emotional rollercoaster. "It was just a lot of nerves today, the whole match," he said. "It wasn't pretty, but that's what Grand Slam matches are sometimes." For De Minaur, it was another crushing quarterfinal defeat, marking his sixth loss at this stage in a major tournament. As for Auger-Aliassime, the win sends him to the semifinals where he will face the winner of the all-Italian quarterfinal between Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti.
