Auger-Aliassime comes through epic contest with Kovacevic to lift Montpellier Open trophy
The Canadian won his seventh ATP Tour title with a tough 6-2, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2) victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic
Felix Auger-Aliassime wins 2025 Open Sud de France in Montpellier © Valentina Claret / Psnewz
Felix Auger-Aliassime was pushed hard by qualifier Aleksandar Kovacevic, eventually coming through 6-2, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2) in an epic contest against the American to clinch the Montpellier Open crown.
It is the Canadian’s seventh ATP Tour title, and his second this year as he continues his excellent start to the new season. Having struggled for form in 2024, only reaching one final at the Madrid Masters last spring, Auger-Aliassime’s 2025 renaissance has been quite remarkable.
The world No 23 improves his win-loss record for the year to 9-1 and clinches yet another indoor hard-court title to solidify his status as one the sport’s very best in these conditions. Indeed, six of the Candian’s seven ATP titles have come on the indoor hard courts, with the other coming in the outdoor heat of Adelaide’s hard courts at the start of the year.
His opponent in today’s final may have looked a straightforward enough task for Auger-Aliassime, but Kovacevic – currently ranked 102nd in the world – was aiming to add the finishing flourish to his own eye-catching story at this year’s Montpellier Open.
His father had forgotten to enter the 26-year-old into the main draw, meaning Kovacevic had to come through two rounds of qualifying to reach the main event. That he did, before winning another four matches on the spin – taking out the likes of Andrey Rublev and defending champion Alexander Bublik en route – to reach a career-first tour-level final.
The American then gave a great account of himself in the showpiece, handing the in-form Auger-Aliassime a very tough test that was much too close for comfort from the Canadian’s point of view.
comfortable first set precedes hard-fought contest
The match started on track for the world No 23, as he broke in the fifth and seventh games without reply to wrap up a straightforward opening set.
Indeed, Kovacevic had to wait until the eleventh game of the deciding set to earn his only break point of the contest as he was largely shut out of his opponent’s service games.
That didn’t stop the qualifier from levelling up the final in dramatic circumstances, however, winning a tense middle-stanza tiebreak 9-7 to clinch the second set and draw level.
Another tight and protracted set came in the third, with Auger-Aliassime struggling to put away his tenacious opponent. It took until a deciding-set tiebreak for the Canadian to re-impose his authority on the match, sprinting to a 7-2 win in the breaker to seal his seventh ATP title and snatch away Kovacevic’s chance for a first.
auger-aliassime’s 2025 resurgence gathers more momentum
“For sure, the craziest final I have played, whether I won or lost,” a relieved-looking Auger-Aliassime said in his on-court interview.
“It was a crazy match. I couldn’t have got a better start. I was feeling good, but credit to Aleks, he raised his level. I think it was a very high level on both ends, serving well. This match deserved to go three sets with the way he was playing in the second.”
The Canadian’s 2025 resurgence has now carried into February and delivered a second title in as many months, after having gone over a year without lifting a trophy.
Next up for Auger-Aliassime will be Rotterdam, where a stacked draw awaits in the 500-level event.
But on this sort of form, and on the indoor hard courts on which he thrives, the Montreal native will surely enter that tournament as one of the favourites to lift a third title for the year.
Whisper it quietly, but Auger-Aliassime looks to be back to his vintage best.
The result could have far-reaching ramifications for the rest of the season.
