Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 to book his ticket to the Swiss Indoors final on Saturday.
It is the second time the Montreal native has defeated Alcaraz since he became the top-ranked player on the ATP circuit. Auger-Aliassime got the best of the 19-year-old Spaniard in a singles match at the Davis Cup on Sept.
16 while competing for Canada. The 22-year-old fired nine aces without committing a double fault in the match. He also won 82 per cent of his first-serve points while breaking on three of his eight opportunities in the one hour 21-minute match. "So far it has been very close to perfect," Auger-Aliassime said of his play in Basel. "I've been serving amazing, not getting broken once yet. "There's still one match to go, but it's been a fantastic week, played some great tennis, and again today against the best player in the world." Alcaraz finished with zero aces and three double faults and could not convert on his lone break point chance.
He won 62 per cent of his first-serve points. Auger-Aliassime, the third seed in the tournament and No. 9 in the world, will seek his third straight title in Sunday's final against another 19-year-old, Holger Rune, who downed sixth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (1), 7-6 (6).