The question: “What have you been doing in New York since your last game?” “Response from Félix Auger-Aliassime:” Not much, quiet at the hotel! ”
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For anyone who has an account even on one social network, impossible to have missed the passage of Leylah Fernandez and Félix Auger-Aliassime at the Met Gala, the great fashion event of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on Monday evening.
Leylah Fernandez walked around town with her mother and sisters in the aftermath of her loss in the U.S. Open final to Emma Raducanu on Saturday.
“And when I got the news that I was invited to the Met Gala, we immediately looked for a dress and I’m so glad I found one! she said. It was an incredible evening. I felt a bit like Cinderella. ”
After preparing all day, she was happy to chat a bit with American soccer player Megan Rapinoe, “a great inspiration”.
Auger-Aliassime for his part named Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, well-known stars of the NBA.
“It was surreal to be invited to an event like that, even though we didn’t have a lot of opportunities to chat. It was impressive to see them in person, ”said the semi-finalist of the men’s draw in New York.
Then, later, Fernandez brought up the cast of Riverdale, notably Lili Reinhart. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s here, I don’t believe it’. Unfortunately, I was too chicken to talk to him! ”
End of the mundane parenthesis.
The next two months
The two Canadian players of the hour appeared in good spirits in front of the media on Tuesday noon. The press conference was organized in Dorval by Flair Airlines, which announced that Leylah Fernandez was joining Félix Auger-Aliassime as ambassador for the Canadian air carrier.
By virtue of that major tournament final, Fernandez went from 73e to 28e world rank. Seventy-two hours later, did she realize the impact of this unexpected journey to Flushing Meadows?
” No. It’s amazing what’s going on right now. I have worked so hard and made huge sacrifices to get to where I am. I’m very happy to have results now and I’m just going to have fun every day, on and off the pitch, ”she promised herself.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Leylah Fernandez
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What she realizes for sure, however, is that other players on the tour will now be waiting for her.
The next tournament will be more difficult now that the players know me and know that I will fight for all the points. The next game will be a battle.
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Leylah Fernandez
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This next game, it will take place in Indian Wells, in a month. Usually played in the spring, the California 1000 category tournament – among the favorites of many players – will be his last of the year, Fernandez said.
Then, a little rest before the preparation for the 2022 season.
For his part, Auger-Aliassime is on the way to achieving two objectives that he set himself at the start of the year.
First, he intends to take advantage of the points gained in New York to make his way to the ATP Finals, played in Turin in mid-November. This end-of-season tournament brings together the best eight on the calendar. He is currently 10e in this race, but we already know that Rafael Nadal, 7e, will not be there due to his foot injury. The Quebecer is knocking on the door and he is only a few hundred points behind Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz.
Then, the protégé of Frédéric Fontang and Toni Nadal also hopes to end the season in the top 10. A very realistic target, he who returns from New York to the 11e world rank.
“These are things that I would like to achieve by the end of the year and I am determined to make it happen,” he said.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Felix Auger-Aliassime
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Regarding his four-quarter of aces at Flushing Meadows – beaten by the eventual champion, Daniil Medvedev – Auger-Aliassime was satisfied with his progress over the major tournaments.
“What I’m very happy with is that after the quarter-final at Wimbledon, we don’t know when we will find ourselves in this position again. That the Grand Slam immediately after, I managed to go one game further, it’s great. And that gives me another experience. ”
World stars? Not yet !
A frank complicity emanated from the exchanges between the young Quebecers of 21 years and 19 years in this press briefing.
In particular, Félix Auger-Aliassime said that he was pointed out that he represented “Montreal’s second victory of the day” when he won on a court at the New York complex.
“I was jumping on the court, I could see that she had won and I was very proud of her every time. She deserves it, ”he said.
Leylah Fernandez, meanwhile, revealed that her father and trainer, Jorge, sometimes told her to take a cue from her compatriot.
“I remember when I was younger, we would go to see Felix train and my father would tell me to work like him because he was very serious and it was very pleasant to be around him. It’s amazing that we are doing good things on the court at the same time. ”
Good results that do not seem to go to their heads, moreover. That’s not the impression they got on Tuesday, at least. In fact, the less down to earth words were heard in the questions, not in the answers …
A journalist asked Auger-Aliassime what “legacy” he wanted to leave to the youngest. He hesitated, before laughing.
“This is probably the first time that one speaks to me about inheritance at a press conference! I’m only 21 years old, ”he recalled.
“But let’s hope that when we talk to each other again in ten years or more, I have a great career behind me and that I have inspired people, not just with my game, but with who I am. ”
And then, at the very end, another journalist asked them about their new status as “big world star”.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Félix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Fernandez
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“I think we need to calm down for a second (we need to chill for a second) ! », Replied Félix Auger-Aliassime, laughing again.
“Maybe we are on this path, but I don’t consider myself an international star yet,” he continued.
Similar response from Leylah Fernandez.
“I’m just a 19-year-old tennis player who just wants to go out on the court and have a good game,” she summed up.
“But being invited to the Met Gala gave us a great idea of what might be to come! ”
181
Number of ranks Leylah Fernandez has earned in the world rankings since the end of 2019
Source : WTA
5
Number of victories that Felix Auger-Aliassime lacks to reach the career figure of 100 on the ATP circuit
Source : ATP
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