TENNIS: Félix has eyes on the prizes

Auger-Aliassime faces Alcaraz in semis before mixed bronze match

- ROSIE DIMANNO

For the first time in 2024, Félix AugerAliassime has beaten two straight top-10 players, after Thursday's 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 victory over Casper Ruud.

PARIS It's déjà vu all over again on the rich red clay of Roland-Garros for Félix Auger-Aliassime. On the other side of the net Friday, the 23-year-old from Montreal will be facing the man who beat him, had his straight-sets way with him, in the French Open two months ago. The man who won here in June, scooping his third Grand Slam title, and then went on to prevail over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon to make it four. At the age of 21.

That's the reward Auger-Aliassime earned a semifinal showdown with Carlos Alcaraz, ranked third in the world and seeded second at the Paris Olympics - by triumphing over Norway's Casper Ruud on Thursday.

But Auger-Aliassime can look at the bright side: He has beaten the best of the best over the course of his tennis career - Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal. And, yeah, Alcaraz too. They're 3-3 head to head.

And this week in Paris, the No. 13 seed has done what no other Canadian, male or female, has managed to accomplish in singles competition at the Games by advancing to a semifinal. For the first time in 2024, he took down top-10 players back to back, demolishing Daniil Medvedev, his personal nemesis, on Wednesday before emerging Thursday with a 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 victory over Ruud.

He's rolling and is guaranteed to vie for a medal in both men's singles and mixed doubles, with partner Gaby Dabrowski. But he has a full plate Friday the singles semifinal and a bronze-medal match with Dabrowski.