Felix Auger-Aliassime extended his run in Dubai on Thursday, booking a spot in the semi-finals with a win over Jiri Lehecka.
The top seed came through 6-3, 7-6 and will now face Daniil Medvedev for a place in the final.
Like Auger-Aliassime today, Federer was once a towering presence on the ATP Tour, with many supporters still regarding him as the greatest of all time.
And the Swiss star made an appearance at this week’s event and was spotted taking in Stan Wawrinka’s match from Centre Court.
Auger-Aliassime thanked Federer for his presence at the tournament and opened up about why he is so grateful to the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
Felix Auger-Aliassime reflects on early support from Roger Federer
Auger-Aliassime shared his thoughts on Federer’s presence at the Dubai tournament, first with a lighthearted comment before highlighting what the Swiss legend has meant to him.
As quoted by the Dubai Tennis Championships Instagram account, the Canadian stated: “Yeah, Roger was here. I guess he’s bored! [laughs]. He likes to come back to the tennis!
“Jokes aside, I mean we all love Roger, but personally I’ve always loved him obviously as a player.
“He invited me here in Dubai when I was 17 to practise with him, so I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me that opportunity.
“It’s so nice to see him come back to events. He was in Australia, talking with the players, being in the locker room, and now he’s back here watching his friend Stan. He loves the game. He was here with his parents – it’s unreal to see.
“So I’m glad he’s still around.”
Federer stepped away from professional tennis in 2022 after teaming up with Rafael Nadal for a doubles match at the Laver Cup.
The Swiss star spent more than two decades on tour and earned widespread respect both on and off the court.
In addition to his popularity among fans and players alike, Federer finished his career with 103 ATP titles – second only to Jimmy Connors’ 109.
How Felix Auger-Aliassime picked up his first ATP Tour victory
Auger-Aliassime played his first ATP Tour match in 2018 at the Rotterdam Open, though he came up short in the opening round against Filip Krajinovic.
The following month, he made it into the main draw at Indian Wells for his first Masters 1000 appearance. There, he beat Vasek Pospisil in the first round to claim his first win on tour.
Later that year, the Canadian star made more history by becoming the youngest player ever to defend an ATP Challenger title. He managed this feat by winning again in Lyon, where he beat Johan Taylor in the final.
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