Felix Auger-Aliassime Dislodges Rafael Nadal To Create History at Miami Open 2019

The Canadians have been stealing the show throughout the American event of ‘Double Sunshine’. Be it, the desert champion, Bianca Andreescu, the Indian Wells 2019 semifinalist, Milos Raonic or the teenager Denis Shapovalov, the land of the Maple Leaf has hit a home run on the tennis courts of California and Florida. Along with them the Canadian wizard, Felix Auger-Aliassime has been breaking the news in recent times.

Being born on the same day as Roger Federer certainly imparts some fortunes to become a tennis player. However, the 18-year-old Canadian show-stopper is being entitled to the ‘youngest ever’ badges more than the Swiss legend was given during his early years on the men’s circuit of tennis.

Felix’s straight-sets win over the World Number 13, Borna Coric in the last eight round makes him the youngest Miami Open semi-finalist. The placid Canadian’s eminence on the men’s tour has taken away that esteem from Rafael Nadal who earned that honor back in 2005 in Miami. That year, Nadal lost to Federer in an epic five-set final clash in the Miami Masters. 

This year, the Montreal native’s run to finals at the Rio Open earned him a remarkable recognition. Felix Auger-Aliassime now holds a win-loss record of 5-0 over the Top 20 ATP players. The Canadian tennis prodigy, Felix Auger-Aliassime born to a Togolese father and a Canadian mother will become the first player born in the 2000s to crack the Top 50 world ranking. And tennis cognoscenti have predicted him to step into the Top 30 list once Miami Open wraps up.

“My dad is a tennis coach and he would bring me to all of his lessons,” said Felix Auger-Aliassim. “I was always around the tennis courts so I kind of grew up with a racket in my hand. As a child, he played soccer as a winger and while he has an all-round tennis game with seemingly no weaknesses, it is his turbo-charged speed that stands out”.

Felix Auger-Aliassime has heart palpitations complication due to which he was compelled to retire from his U.S. Open 2018 opener against his compatriot, Shapovalov. “It was the worst feeling of my life,” Felix Auger-Aliassime said. “The cardio thing I have dealt with since I was eight, so I wasn’t scared for my health or anything, I just couldn’t believe it happened at that moment. But at the end of the year, I went on the table again and they were able to find it. I know a lot of people who have done that surgery. It’s behind me now.”

The tranquil tennis teenager, Felix Auger-Aliassime will now face the defending champion, John Isner in the semifinals of the Miami Open 2019 and along with him, his teenage compatriot Denis Shapovalov will brawl against Roger Federer for a place in the final. The tournament witnesses two teenage semifinalists since Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in 2007.