The Canadian a few hours before the semi-final against Alcaraz: “I’m tired too, but I don’t want to forget how lucky I am…”
A few hours before the semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime in Turin shook the whole circuit with words that caused discussion. For the Canadian, who beat Zverev yesterday, some of his colleagues have lost the perspective of what it means to live as tennis professionals. An unusual stance for a traditionally measured player, made even more significant by the moment he arrives, in the heart of the Finals and at the end of a season in which he has slowly risen to challenge the world number 1. “We are lucky, privileged: we travel, we discover different realities, we do what we love – he said -. I don’t understand why some people can’t enjoy it. It seems to me they have lost perspective, completely.” It wasn’t an accusation, it sounded more like an invitation, or rather a reproach, to the rest of the circuit. His reasoning is simple: in an environment often dominated by complaints about the calendar, the pressure, the pace, we risk forgetting that professional tennis, despite all its complexities, remains a privileged environment and recognizing this is a fundamental part of the mental balance of a top player.
the calendar
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The Canadian also entered into the merits of calendar management, a topic that has divided players and professionals for years. When asked why he skipped the Metz tournament, he replied without making excuses: “I did what was right for me. I don’t need to compare myself with what others do…”. Another sting to his rivals who, in his opinion, allow themselves to be dragged by dynamics of continuous comparison, by the expectations of others: “I’m tired too, it’s normal after a year like this. But I don’t want to forget the luck I have…”, he concluded. It will be this new maturity that has brought him back to such a high level, after the complicated moments of recent years, when results and confidence seemed to have drifted away. Tonight the most difficult exam.