Felix Auger-Aliassime has took the somewhat bizarre move not to play this week’s Moselle Open in Metz and has withdrawn from the tournament owing to listening to his body after reaching the Paris Masters Final.
Albeit bizarre as he is not yet qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin and could yet get leapfrogged last minute in the coming days by Lorenzo Musetti who he leapfrogged in the first place.
His 6-4, 7-6(3) loss to Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final meant that he sits just ahead of Musetti 160 points clear of the Italian ahead of the final week of the season and in a last gasp move to try to make it to the year end finals in his home country, Musetti has entered the Hellenic Championship.
Musetti lost early in Paris so was very much at the mercy of Auger-Aliassime who of course went on to reach the final in Paris so very much scuppered his plans but this was also furthered by the fact that the Canadian was due to play Metz alongside Alexander Bublik who himself could yet be an alternate in Turin.
But after a tough few weeks, Auger-Aliassime will leave it in the hands of the tennis gods. He had to suddenly retire in Basel which in itself disrupted his goal of making it to Turin when it looked like he’d be in a good position and when in one again, it seems that he might be leaving it to chance once more.
“I won’t be going,” Auger-Aliassime told reporters in the French capital after losing to Sinner at the La Defense Arena in the final of the Paris Masters this past Sunday.
“I’ve been struggling with a lot of physical issues this week. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I made in the past. My physical condition and health are really my priority, above qualifying.”
But while it would be a shame given all the effort he put in to even be in the position to qualify in the first place, Auger-Aliassime admitted that he takes very much a calm view on the situation.
He said that if Musetti makes it, he deserves it but if not he will be there in Turin playing and will take a week off in between as a result. “If I qualify, great. If not, Lorenzo will deserve his place,” added Auger-Aliassime
TIRAGE ATP 250 METZ Le tableau pour la DERNIÈRE édition avant la disparition du Moselle Open. Encore en lice pour le Masters, Félix Auger-Aliassime et Daniil Medvedev seront les deux premières têtes de série. ⚔️ Début ce dimanche. Qui remportera le titre ?
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