Felix Auger-Aliassime had hoped to lead Canada to their first-ever United Cup title in 2025.
2024 wasn’t the best year of Auger-Aliassime’s career as he struggled to bounce back from a disappointing year in 2023.
The Canadian 24-year-old is the current ATP number 29, a ranking that he has now held at years-end for the last two seasons.
A sharp decline from his career-high of sixth in the world, which he finished as back in 2022.
There were several highlights for Auger Aliassime in 2024, however, as he played his best tennis on clay courts.
Auger-Aliassime reached the Madrid Open final earlier this year, losing to Andrey Rublev in three sets, having led 6-4.
It was the Canadian’s first Masters 1000 final, having previously reached two semi-finals, in Miami five years ago, and at the 2022 Paris Masters.
Auger-Aliassime also reached the Olympic semi-finals, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal to Lorenzo Musetti, before picking up bronze alongside Gabriela Dabrowski in the mixed doubles.
A tough year to judge for the young Canadian, who looked to kick his 2025 season off with a bang at the United Cup in Australia.
Felix Auger-Aliassime picks Taylor Fritz as the player he would steal for Team Canada at the United Cup
Speaking with fellow Team Canada star Leylah Fernandez ahead of the 2025 United Cup, Auger-Aliassime named the player from the tournament he would most like to play alongside.
“Even though they are big rivals I would probably go with one American player,” he said.
“Probably Taylor Fritz.”
Fritz has won 12 matches at the United Cup since the competition’s inaugural edition in 2023, making him one of the most successful players in the event’s history.
Fernandez gave a slightly different answer to the question, as she chose a player that’s competing at the United Cup for the first time in 2025.
“At this very moment my only thought is Elena Rybakina,” she said.
“I don’t even know why.
“I feel like her vibe and calmness is fun and how she plays too, I would probably steal her and convert her into Canadian.”
What happened when Felix Auger-Aliassime played Taylor Fritz at the United Cup?
Having battled past Croatia in their opening match at the 2025 United Cup, the Canadians faced heavy favorites USA in their final group game.
Fernandez fell in straight sets to WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff, 6-3, 6-2, as the United States took a commanding lead.
Then came a battle between Auger-Aliassime and the man he wanted to join Team Canada’s ranks, Fritz.
Fritz led by a set to love, and was just two points away from securing victory when the Canadian valiantly fought back to take things to a decider.
Auger-Aliassime beat Fritz in a three-set war, to level the tie with the United States, sending things to a deciding mixed doubles contest.
It was a close match in Perth, but the firepower of the WTA number three and the ATP number four was just too much for the Canadians to handle as they lost 7-6, 7-5.
A result that saw the Canadians knocked out of the United Cup, as China clinched the ‘best runners-up’ spot with two more sets won.
It was the second consecutive year that Canada failed to advance to the knockout stages, as they will no doubt be hoping to perform better in 2026.
Team USA will face off against China in the quarter-finals on January 1.
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