Felix Auger-Aliassime joined Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of this 28th edition. After being down in the first set to Gilles Simon, the Canadian, who was also a finalist last week in Rotterdam, won 7/5 7/6(2) in 1h59.
Once again, Félix Auger-Aliassime had a tough time! He saved match points twice against Stefano Travaglia (first round), then against Pierre-Hugues Herbert (eighth), and had a difficult start against Gilles Simon. The world's 18th-ranked player was 5-3 down in the first set, but finally won the first set 7-5. " It was difficultGilles Simon then explained this turn of events. I had chances but I didn't manage to do well. There aren't many opportunities against players like that and I should have been able to take advantage of them. "
"Unbelievable how I'm doing!"
Gilles Simon, double winner in Marseille in 2007 and 2015, then held the pace in the second set against a "FAA" who was more at ease with his game. But in the tiebreak, the Canadian gave his opponent no chance, winning 7-2 on his first match point. " It's amazing how well I do in the first set he said after his victory. Gilles deserved this set more than I did. Then, in the second, I served better and better, I found my timing on the return. The nervousness went away, and the more the match went on, the better I felt. "
Felix Auger-Aliassime will play his second consecutive final on the circuit (the fifth of his career). Last Sunday, he played in the Rotterdam final against Gaël Monfils. Tomorrow in Marseille, it is against Stefanos Tsitsipas, the defending champion, that FAA will try to win the first title of his career.
