Felix Auger Aliassime, the lanky Canadian tennis player, is a quality professional athlete who has won plaudits worldwide for his giant-killing victories on the court. He has been a top-ten staple in the ATP rankings for most of his professional career. However, an inconsistent set of results has seen him drop to his current ranking of world no. 29.
Felix has now won plaudits for his activities in his life outside tennis, as he won a humanitarian award for his philanthropic efforts. Felix was on a decent run in the year-end hard-court season in 2023 and will look to push on and maintain consistency in the coming year.
Who is Felix Auger Aliassime?
Felix Auger Aliassime is a 23-year-old from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Starting to play at the age of four at Club Advantage in Quebec City, Felix turned professional in 2016. He broke into the top 200 in 2017 but broke into the spotlight in 2019.
The year saw him reach the finals of three ATP majors and defeat top-ten players like Stefanos Tsitsipas in the process. Representing Canada, he also reached the Davis Cup finals.
After reaching the 2021 US Open semifinal, Felix Auger Aliassime broke into the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. He further stamped his authority by winning the Davis Cup, securing four ATP titles and becoming world no. 6 in 2022.
2023 has been a disappointing year for Felix, as he has struggled with injuries and a loss of form that has seen him exit major tournaments at early stages. He is currently coached by Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal’s former coach and uncle.
Felix has long championed philanthropic activities and has donated $5 for every point he wins on the ATP tour since 2020, which goes to funding youth education.
Felix Auger-Aliassime wins 2023 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award
Felix’s humanitarian efforts saw his donations tripled by BNP Paribas, amounting to 329,720 euros that go towards funding youth education in underdeveloped regions of the world.
In 2022, Felix Auger Aliassime visited Togo, where his donations were distributed to ten villages, assisting 2,740 inhabitants. He toured the northern part of the African country to witness what the country had built.
“It has largely taken shape,” he said in an interview with L’Equipe. “I saw good things, the renovations to the schoolrooms, the equipment for the schools—school equipment but also sports equipment.
“The important thing, for me, was to not only meet the very young but also the older ones that left school we help who are between 17 and 20 years old and now, thanks to the project, are in apprenticeships.”
For his efforts, Felix was honoured with the 2023 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award.
“I am glad to be recognised for not just what I do as a tennis player, but as a person. My dad, Sam, grew up in Togo, a third-world country, where he did not have many opportunities in education or access to sports. When he moved to Canada, it was always important for him to give back to his family and others he knew back in Togo,” Felix said.
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