Auger-Aliassime Wins Montpellier Title Thriller Over Kovacevic

Felix Auger-Aliassime, Montpellier, Open Occitanie
Felix Auger-Aliassime (photo: Open Occitanie/JB Autissier)

MONTPELLIER/WASHINGTON, February 2, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Both Felix Auger-Aliassime and Aleksandar Kovacevic arrived at the title match of the 15th edition of the Open Occitanie in southern France on merit. Throughout the week, both showed their comfort level playing on an indoor hardcourt where each has enjoyed success.

On Sunday afternoon, the 7,500-seat Sud de France Arena was sold out for the second meeting between the French-Canadian and the American born on the Upper West Side of New York City to a Serbian father and Bosnian mother. What they saw was a superior performance from the World No. 23 and second-seeded Auger-Aliassime, who defeated the never-say-die Kovacevic, 6-2, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), to win his first title in France. The Montreal native’s experience of playing in ATP Tour finals – this was his 17th while Kovacevic was appearing in his first one – and his success at winning both matches and titles indoors (53 indoor victories since 2022 and six indoor titles) proved too much for Kovacevic to overcome.

By the end of their two-hour, 39-minute final in Montpellier, the 24-year-old Auger-Aliassime had raised the level of his game and won his seventh career ATP Tour title – the sixth indoors – and second crown of the 2025 season after lifting the trophy in Adelaide last month. He improved his win-loss record to 11-1 on the new season after becoming the first multiple winner on the ATP Tour in 2025. It was also his 15th straight triumph over a player ranked outside the Top 100 since losing to Michael Mmoh in the third round at Wimbledon in 2023.

“For sure, the craziest final I have played, whether I won or lost,” Auger-Aliassime said during 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 102nd-ranked Kovacevic began the week by qualifying for the main draw with a pair of wins, then upset both defending champion and 39th-ranked Alexander Bublik and World No. 10 and top seed Andrey Rublev in back-to-back matches to advance to Sunday’s championship match. With his PIF ATP Live Ranking cracking the Top 100 at No. 75, the 26-year-old former University of Illinois All-American standout came in to the final with plenty of momentum and incentive on his side. However, the quality of Auger-Aliassime’s shot making from both wings were too much for him to overcome. Still, Kovacevic didn’t go down without fighting to the end.

From the start, Auger-Aliassime won the 33-minute opening set by taking control of it with back-to-back breaks of Kovacevic’s serve in the fifth and seventh games. He hit nine winners – six of them from his forehand side – and took full advance of 10 unforced errors by the American. Auger-Aliassime played front-footed tennis, controlling points not only on his serve but also by winning points from the baseline, too.

Next, during a lengthy, 62-minute second set, Kovacevic put together a solid string of three straight love holds on his serve to lead 4-3. However, Auger-Aliassime remained resilient, not facing any break points on his serve. He handled pressure moments such as when he pulled even at 5-all with a solid forehand winner with confidence. Kovacevic garnered his fourth love hold of the set to assure himself of at least a tie-break and it became official after Auger-Aliassime held serve at love, too.

During the tie-break, at 3-all, Auger-Aliassime hit an inside-out forehand winner to push ahead 4-3, but Kovacevic stood his ground and held twice to lead 5-4. The Canadian replied with a 201 km/h ace up the middle – his 11th – then held another time to gain a championship point at 6-5. However, Kovacevic fought it off to level the tie-break at 6-all. Next, Auger-Aliassime earned a mini-break to set up championship point No. 2, but the American responded with a backhand winner that nicked the baseline and tied the score 7-all. Dramatically, Auger-Aliassime double-faulted to trail 8-7. Kovacevic took advantage of it to pull out the tie-break 9-7 after Auger-Aliassime shanked an eighth-shot forehand. It was on to a third set and the fans were all in regardless of the outcome.

In the final set, tied 3-3, Auger-Aliassime came from love-30 down to hold serve for a 4-3 lead, then Kovacevic proved his mettle by holding serve after he gained an ad point by winning a 25-shot rally. Soon, the American held at love for 5-all. Then, Auger-Aliassime faced a break point – his first one of the match – after rallying from 15-30 down. He saved it and came up with a huge hold under pressure. It guaranteed him of at least a tie-break to decide the match. Kovacevic punched his ticket to the decisive tie-break after his seventh love hold of the final.

By this time – after more than two and-a-half hours, it became a mental game for two competitors. Auger-Aliassime pushed ahead 2-0 by winning a 14-shot skirmish with an all-court touch-volley winner, then made it 3-0 after Kovacevic made a costly unforced error with a one-fisted backhand return. However, Kovacevic rallied by winning the next two points, the second on a costly error by Auger-Aliassime. As they changed sides with the Canadian ahead 4-2, Kovacevic hit a fifth-shot backhand long and it put the match on Auger-Aliassime’s racquet at 5-2.

Auger-Aliassime set up his third championship point – more than an hour since the previous ones – when Kovacevic netted a forehand return, and finally won it with his 19th service ace. He promptly dropped to his knees and lifted his arms in victory.

Finally, after being pushed all the way – mentally and physically – Auger-Aliassime was able to celebrate.

Auger-Aliassime finished with 19 aces and hit 43 winners overall. He won 78 percent of his first-serve points, saved the only break point he face and broke Kovacevic’s serve twice in three opportunities. He outpointed his opponent 107-97. Kovacevic countered with 32 winners, including seven aces, and won 73 percent of points on his first serve. Both competitors committed 40 unforced errors.

“I think [this match] showed just how good the serving was today, for myself and him as well,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Very solid serving. Until the end, you think, ‘OK, is anybody going to find solutions to go through?’ He was very close at the end. I had a match point in the second [set] and it’s the type of match that could go either way, really.”

Despite losing in his first final at tour-level, Kovacevic smiled as he received his runner-up trophy and was upbeat as he spoke to the mostly-French crowd. “Today was incredible. I mean, I think that was the most fun I’ve ever had on a tennis court in my life,” he said.

“It’s not always the most fun competing and losing, but it was an incredible match, incredible atmosphere. It was an honor to share the court with someone like Felix. … He knows how to win these finals and that’s why he’s been Top 10 in the world. I’ve been watching him do incredible things for years. It was an honor to share a court with him this week and other incredible players like Andrey [Rublev].

“This was my first time getting to this stage of a tournament. It’s still never easy to lose a final. You want to cap off the week with a good win but I did everything I could, left everything out there. It’s a sport of tiny, tiny margins. … It was an incredible match, I’ll never forget it for both good and bad.”

Haase and van de Zandschulp win all-Dutch doubles final

It’s not often that there’s an all-Dutch ATP Tour doubles final. In fact, one has to go all the way back to the 1991 season at Rosmalen, when Hendrik Jan Davids and Paul Haarhuis defeated Richard Krajicek and Jan Siemerink. Today, Haarhuis is the team captain of the Dutch Davis cup team and Krajicek is the tournament director of the ATP 500 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. 

On Sunday, an all-Dutch final took place at the Open Occitanie and it was won by the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Botic van de Zandschulp. The Dutch duo rallied from a set and a break down to beat Tallon Griekspoor and Bart Stevens, 6-7 (7), 6-3, 10-5, in an hour and 34 minutes. With the title triumph, Haase and van de Zandschulp are the first all-Dutch team to win an ATP Tour title since Haase and Matwe Middelkoop won Montpellier in 2023.

Botic van de Zandschulp and Robin Hasse

Botic van de Zandschulp and Robin Haase (photo: Open Occitane/JB Autissier)

The title final came down to a match tie-break after the two teams split the first two sets. During the match tie-break, Griekspoor and Stevens jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Haase and van de Zandschulp won four straight points to push ahead 4-3. Soon, Haase and van de Zandschulp increased their lead to 8-5 after winning three straight points from 5-all. Then, they won the final two points to win the match tie-break 10-5 – and clinch the title.

Haase, ranked 70th, and No. 146 van de Zandschulp improved to 14-5 on tour-level as a team and 4-0 this season. They debuted together at the Australian Open in 2022. This was their third ATP Tour final as a team following Rome in 2023 and Rotterdam last year. Now they’ve finally won their first title together. The 37-year-old Haase is now 9-15 in ATP Tour doubles finals, while van de Zandschulp, 29, improved to 2-3 after winning his first title with Griekspoor.

En route to the title this week, Haase and van de Zandschulp saved a match point to defeat a pair of former Montpellier singles, Richard Gasquet and Lucas Pouille, in the first round and upset defending champions and No. 1 seeds Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul in the quarterfinals.

Ironically, van de Zandschulp and Griekspoor will team together in Rotterdam on Monday, while Haase will pair with Sem Verbeek. They could meet in the quarterfinals.

By the numbers

Across qualifying and the main draw, five of Aleksandar Kovacevic‘s six wins came in straight sets. He will move up from No. 102 to No. 75, three spots off his career-high ranking of No. 72.

“Quotable …”

• “It gave me confidence that I did play qualifying. Every match I play – every match I win – the announcer is saying ‘this is the best match of your life.’ I guess. I don’t know which one is the best but every match has been great. I almost can’t believe the way I am playing.”

– Aleksandar Kovacevic of the United States, during his post-match news conference Saturday, after upsetting World No. 10 and top seed Andrey Rublev to advance to his first ATP Tour final. He explained that because his father forgot to sign him up for the main draw, he had to play the qualifying draw even though his ranking would have given him a direct entry into the tournament.

• “I’ve been coming to France since I was very young and I’ve always enjoyed playing here. There have been a few finals I’ve lost in the past in France. So, it’s nice to lift the trophy for the first time on the French side of the ocean compared to where I’m from.”

– Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada, during his on-court interview, after winning his first ATP Tour title in France.

 

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