By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, September 1, 2025
Photo credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty
NEW YORK—History haunted Felix Auger-Aliassime against Andrey Rublev.
Down a break early today, Auger-Aliassime faced fright with fierce ball striking to hit his way into his second US Open quarterfinal.
Striking with relaxed aggression, Auger-Aliassime pounded out a 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Rublev surging into his first Flushing Meadows quarterfinal since his run to the 2021 semifinals.
The 25-year-old Canadian arrived at the US Open coming off a pair of Flushing Meadows first-round exits—and he hadn’t reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2022 Australian Open.
None of that mattered much to the Canadian all-court stylist, who pumped 37 winners—18 more than Rublev—and saved three of four break points in a clinical two hour, 16-minute triumph.
“Good win considering our head-to-head, considering, you know, how good he is as a player,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Then waking up this morning, I knew I played a great match last time, but you know, you hope he doesn’t play too good and that I can execute my game well.
“But I think once I settled into the match and I kind of, like, got back — I was down 4-2 for one and then got back to 4-All — I felt like, okay, I settled in and I felt much better about my chances. From that moment on I felt like I was putting a lot of pressure on him. Then as I won the first set, I felt like I was in control of the match.”
Felix with a flourish 😮💨
Felix Auger-Aliassime is a Grand Slam quarterfinalist once again! pic.twitter.com/3J6NBAkQkN
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 1, 2025
After enduring a series of major struggles, Auger-Aliassime has played some of his most dynamic Grand Slam tennis in years defeating a pair of heavy hitters. Auger-Aliassime toppled third-seeded former US Open finalist Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4 in the third round on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Firing his forehand, which can sometimes fly on him, with conviction, Auger-Aliassime controlled much of today’s match beating Rublev for just the second time—and first time since the 2022 Rotterdam semifinals.
The victory vaults Auger-Aliassime into the US Open quarterfinals against Alex de Minaur.
Earlier, de Minaur mauled Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. De Minaur unleashed a six-game surge midway through the match ending the Cinderella run of the world No. 435.
It’s the second consecutive US Open quarterfinal, and third overall, for the feisty Aussie.
World No. 27 Auger-Aliassime has won two of three meetings vs. de Minaur; this quarterfinal clash will be their first major meeting.
“I think Felix is that type of player that everyone knows that his top level is incredibly high, and
when he’s playing with confidence, he’s very tough to beat,” de Minaur said. “This week he’s obviously playing some incredible tennis, and he’s got a lot of weapons.
“He’s got a great serve. He’s got a great forehand. He looks to dictate whenever he can. In that matchup for me it’s all about trying to disrupt his rhythm, not give him the chance to bully me on the court. I do my best to counter and dictate whenever I can, and ultimately, I know what I’m getting myself into.
“He’s got moments on the court where he’s unbeatable, and then there’s moments that he’ll give you a couple of errors, right? For me it’s about weathering the storm.”
Auger-Aliassime expects a storm of intensity from de Minaur when they meet next.
“Well, his strengths were always his movement and a quality to keep the ball in play and to kind of like counter, you know, like let’s say the speed that the other player will play at and, yeah, to just
defend,” Auger-Aliassime said. “But what’s been very interesting is that he’s added also stepping into the court a lot more. I think that’s why he’s in the position he’s in today.
“He now has, like, very much the ability to step in as soon as you give him a chance, you know, and to come early in the court and to punish you. That’s why his game is even more complete than how it was in the past.”
Former world No. 5 Rublev carried an imposing 7-1 lifetime record vs. Auger-Aliassime onto Arthur Ashe Stadium—his best record against any former Top 10 opponent.
Twenty-five years ago, Marat Safin stunned Pete Sampras to capture the 2000 US Open crown. A bearded Safin, who has joined Fernando Vicente as one of Rublev’s coaches, often shouted encouragement and instruction to the Russian from the start today.
Rublev drew first-break blood and backed up the break for a 3-1 lead.
Thumping his forehand with more venom and control, Auger-Aliassime tore through 12 of 13 points breaking back to get back on serve.
The 25th-seeded Canadian clipped the tape with an inside-out forehand, followed it forward and drew a netted pass to snatch the first set with his second break of serve.
Overall, Auger-Aliassime served 64 percent and won 22 of 28 first-serve points in that opening set.
Across the net, Rublev went from stressing to seething to straight up raging midway through the second set.
Squandering a 40-0 lead with a couple of double faults, Rublev, who was repeatedly testing the Canadian’s forehand return with the wide serve, was frozen by an Auger-Aliassime forehand return winner for break point.
Beating himself up for that winner, Rublev rapped his Head racquet off his shoe in a painful display.
Then came the big hurt: When a red-faced Rublev missed a backhand down the line to cede the break for 2-4 he wound up and splattered his racquet off the blue hard court.
A dialed-in Auger-Aliassime won 12 of his last 14 service points in the second set, serving out a two-set lead at love.
The deficit deepened as a disconsolate Rublev dropped serve to start the third set. Auger-Aliassime fended off a break point at 30-40, holding for a 3-1 third-set lead.
Serving for quarterfinals, Auger-Aliassime was flawless. The Canadian cracked his 11th ace, fired an inside-out forehand and finished with a backhand bolt down the line.
Auger-Aliassime has won 12 of the 13 sets he’s played at this US Open.
