NITTO ATP FINALS

November 9, 2025

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Inalpi Arena,Torino

Press Conference

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It's nice I get my own press conference (smiling). So important...

THE MODERATOR: Felix, welcome to the Nitto ATP Finals field. How much tennis did you watch this weekend from Athens?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Actually, I didn't. I didn't. I was like, This is going to be a bit stressful to watch (smiling). I was trying to stay away from all that stress.

I was obviously following the scores, the results, but just focusing on what was under my control, trying to get ready and stay relaxed.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you use your time since the Paris final?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I came back home the next day, had to do some recovery. I mean, as you all know, I pulled out of Basel, got ready for Paris. I think I handled the situation well. It was tough matches. The body held up nicely.

I had to recover after Paris. I was doing that for a few days at home. Then I came here Wednesday night, hoping that things would go my way, yeah (smiling).

Q. Do you feel 100% recovered right now? Are you still feeling some discomfort or...

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No. I feel good. Like, look, it's the end of the season. I've been dealing with some things. But I feel ready. I feel good.

I think it was not even like the right decision for me, it was the only decision because for me it was tough to think to play Wednesday already in any other tournament. It was also jeopardizing potentially this tournament. It was, like, the only right decision for me.

Now I think I feel good and I feel ready to start.

Q. How do you feel about playing with Jannik on your first match tomorrow?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, yeah, it's one way to start a tournament, for sure. It's different in all the other tournaments.

You know that coming into this event that every match is going to be tough. I start the tournament with the toughest challenge, which is interesting in a way because I think winning a match like this one would kind of give you confidence that you can go very far in this tournament. If it doesn't go your way, it doesn't.

But I'm going to get ready to be a little bit better than I was in Paris. I'm looking forward obviously to matching up with him, and also the atmosphere. It's probably going to be really good.

Q. How different is the mentality knowing you've been here before and had this experience? Or is it just not different at all?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It's a bit different. Like, the first time was, Wow. Everything is new. You feel like it's a life-changing event.

Now I have the perspective of like, Yeah, I made it. Life goes on, career goes on. You can still have challenges after.

I see it as another step in my career, but not as like maybe as big of not an event, but as big in importance as it was the first time.

Really I'm coming here like, okay, I'm trying to play good tennis, keep the progression I've had the last few months. But I know that, okay, if it doesn't go my way, still get ready for next season and other challenges coming. Not everything stops here, right?

Q. The level you've shown the last part of the season is something that you think is the best part of your tennis, the best tennis you've ever shown in your career?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I think I had glimpses of that in the past. Obviously we think of 2022. But other moments where even in 2024, even last year, whether it was at the Olympics, for example, where I played some really good tennis.

I think the consistency at a good level. Not every match was perfect, but being able to win a lot of matches and playing some matches at a really high level. Yeah, some of the best tennis I've played, for sure.

Q. You're playing against Alexander Zverev in your group. You beat him in the US Open this year. Does it give you a good feeling already having won against him at such a high-level event on hard court this year?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It's better. It's better that I won that match than I didn't, obviously, for that tournament, but also leading up to any other future events.

Whenever you play players that are all here, for example, any win you get is very, very positive because you get confidence that you can do that again. You improve your head-to-head against them. You also put in their mind that, Okay, I'm here.

Everyone has to be ready.