Felix Auger-Aliassime is bidding to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 title at this year’s Madrid Open, where he has come close to triumphing before.
The Canadian reached the final of the tournament in 2024, but was denied a maiden crown at the premium level by Andrey Rublev.
Last year, Auger-Aliassime was knocked out in the second round; a result he has already surpassed at this season’s edition of the competition.
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Having received a bye in round one, the 25-year-old won his opening match at the 2026 Madrid Open against Vilius Gaubas in straight sets to advance to the third round.
Following his victory, Auger-Aliassime explained how to navigate the unique conditions in the Spanish capital.
Felix Auger-Aliassime discusses the Madrid Open
Asked about playing in the high altitude in Madrid during an interview with Tennis Channel, Auger-Aliassime said: “I think if you serve well, it’s very effective.
“Obviously, forehand as well, you know, like Casper last year, obviously heavy forehand, it’s going to jump even more, and so you have to play with topspin.
“If you play flat, you know, it might fly on you a little bit, so you have to be careful with that. But with the serve, I know Sascha Zverev is playing right now, and he loves the conditions here.
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“Obviously, he won here without getting broken some years back, but I think players that serve well have a better chance of going deep and doing some damage.
“So I need to take care of that part of my game, and if I do, then I can kind of put pressure on some return games and have fun with that, you know, as long as I take care of my serve.”
Felix Auger-Aliassime’s next opponent at the Madrid Open
Auger-Aliassime’s third-round opponent at the Madrid Open comes in the form of 21-year-old Alexander Blockx.
Blockx, who reached the final of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals, has had to come back from a set down in both of his matches in Madrid so far.
The Belgian won in three sets against Cristian Garin and 28th seed Brandon Nakashima to book his place in the third round, matching his career-best finish at a Masters event, which he achieved in Monte-Carlo earlier this month.
Auger-Aliassime has never faced Blockx at an ATP Tour-level competition, with the two set to battle for the first time for a place in the fourth round of the Madrid Open.
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