“These are beautiful emotions,” Felix Auger-Aliassime beamed after qualifying for the semifinals at the Paris Olympics. Lying ahead is a bigger challenge for him, with Carlos Alcaraz waiting to take him down in the next match. The Canadian has beaten the best players in the past, be it Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, or Novak Djokovic. Even with Alcaraz, he has a 3-3 head-to-head count. Besides his undeniable expertise, the Canadian also enjoys the support of his family, especially his parents. However, even then, he had to undergo a silent battle, a personal challenge that many kids can relate to!

The Quebec-based player was only 14 when he played a draw match on the ATP Challenger Tour. His parents, Sam Aliassime and Marie Auger, recognized his talent long before that, at the tender age of four. Moreover, his African-descent father, being a tennis instructor himself, further helped Auger-Aliassime nurture his interest in the sport. His mother, Auger, a teacher by profession, has also been instrumental in his success in tennis from the beginning. 

After completing a successful junior career and reaching No. 2, Auger-Aliassime entered the ATP world and cemented his position at No. 6 for a while. In the corner, his parents were still there to cheer him on, but something changed. His parents were no longer together. In a newspaper interview, his French-Canadian mother said, “It’s always been a family project with his father, even if we’re divorced. When I look at him, that’s really who he is. But as a parent, you can’t take all the credit.”

They might not be together anymore, but their support is to their son is endless. You might still find his mother in the stands, motivating and supporting her son. When they are at home, “Felix remains Felix,“ Maurie told le journal de Montreal. She added, “But I know it’s part of his career and he plays that role very well. He is never impatient, and he is always very generous with his time.” Perhaps it is the same quality that his father wanted to instill in him, whose main motto was to see his son grow up to be a good person with strong values along with a successful career in tennis.

The 23-year-old player has already made it to rank 2 in Canada. But the five singles title winner is not done yet. He is now vying for a gold medal at the Games. Either way, Auger-Aliassime has made his parents proud, and his mother always tries to address that in her interviews!

Here’s why Felix Auger-Aliassime’s mother is “pleased” with his son

When Auger-Aliassime was fighting with all he had against his own idol, Rafael Nadal, in the finale in Turin in 2022, his mother was there to see him win the title. That was the day when he found his first win against the Spaniard. However, apart from the glory of success, his mother was proud of one more thing about his son.

“I’m even more pleased when people say Félix is a good person, that he’s smart, because, as a parent, I didn’t raise a tennis player. I was there for a child so he could become an adult who’s comfortable in his own skin,” she said in an interview.

Although she understands the pros and cons of the constant scrutiny that Auger-Aliassime faces under the public eye, she tries to focus on the positives. This includes seeing his posters in the streets, which she describes as a “surreal“ feeling. Auger-Aliassime is carving his own path to reach the top of the sport. However, what further propels him forward is the love of his biggest supporters in the world, his parents!