Felix Auger-Aliassime Snubs US Open Crowd After Historic Win Over Alexander Zverev

Back in January at the Australian Open, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had their match interrupted mid–first set. And the match had to be shifted from Court 7 because the noise from the neighboring clash between Arthur Cazaux and Jacob Fearnley was getting way too distracting. Fast forward to June at the 2025 Mallorca Championships. And chaos struck again during Auger-Aliassime’s match against Arthur Rinderknech when a couple of fans in the stands kept hurling explicit taunts. But despite the mess, Auger-Aliassime kept his composure and came through with a 7-5, 6-3 win in just under two hours.

So it’s safe to say he’s no stranger to unusual playing conditions. And when asked about competing at this year’s US Open, his answer didn’t really come as a surprise. Yes, it was classic Auger-Aliassime: calm, grounded, and focused, much like the way he handles those booming serves on court. “Do I like the crowd’s energy or the city? I don’t believe in all that stuff. I’m more practical,” Auger-Aliassime said in the press conference following his win against Alexander Zverev in Round 3 of the 2025 US Open.

For the unversed, the US Open crowd has a reputation for being way louder than at most other tournaments. And yes, that’s definitely nothing like the hushed atmosphere of Wimbledon. Reportedly, Jacob Fearnley even admitted he was caught “off guard” by the noise in New York.. Hence, for many players, that energy can be tough to handle. But for Felix Auger-Aliassime? That’s just another day at the office.

Sep 10, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada reacts after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev of Russia (not pictured) on day twelve of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

Take his third-round battle against world No. 3 Zverev as proof. The Canadian held his nerve and came through with a gritty 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory after nearly four hours on court. And for Zverev, though, it was another tough blow on the big stage, coming right after his Wimbledon exit. His first Grand Slam title continues to elude him. Meanwhile, Auger-Aliassime made history with his win. Per OptaAce, he became just the third Canadian since 1973 to defeat an ATP top-five opponent at a Grand Slam. The other two? Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov. And guess what. They beat the same guy—Alexander Zverev. But before you attribute Auger-Aliassime’s feat to a Canadian thing, consider, for once, his general prowess on hard surfaces.

Felix Auger-Aliassime is a different beast on hard courts

Well, there’s a reason for Auger-Aliassime to excel despite a loud crowd. And that’s his love for hard courts, especially in New York. “New York and Melbourne are hard court Grand Slams, my best surface. I can also play on grass and clay. But over the years, I’ve felt that my tennis suits hard courts best. It’s where we play most often in the calendar. I feel like here I can find my rhythm, feel more comfortable, something like that. That’s one of the reasons for this result.” Auger-Aliassime shared the secret recipe for his success.

Well, by now, it’s pretty obvious that Felix Auger-Aliassime thrives on hard courts. And if you remember, all seven of his ATP titles have come there. That includes his breakthrough win in Rotterdam three years ago. Reportedly, back in 2022, he even went on a remarkable 16-match tear indoors, picking up three titles in three straight weeks before Holger Rune finally stopped him in the Paris Masters semifinals. That run earned him a spot at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals.

But even with all that, rocky seasons have tested his confidence time and again. Despite his potential, he hadn’t made it past the second round of a Grand Slam until now, but things seem to be looking up. “I’ve had ups and downs,” he said. “But you keep working, you keep believing. Tonight shows what’s possible.” He is set to play Andrey Rublev next in the Round of 16. Don’t want to miss out on the epic moments that the match might bring? Follow EssentiallySports’ live blog of the US Open.

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