Opposing dynamics before the final

Auger-Aliassime arrives on a roll, De Minaur still searching for his feel

Despite a fairly comfortable final score, Alex De Minaur’s performance against Ugo Humbert was not entirely convincing. In line with a generally average week, the Australian once again let certain limitations in his game show through. His defensive intensity is of course very solid, but offensively, his output is inconsistent, with a forehand that’s sometimes shaky and difficulty really taking control of the rallies. Humbert didn’t manage to exploit these weaknesses, but the level of play shown by De Minaur remains below what he can produce when he’s at his best. In my view, the slow conditions are clearly not an advantage for him, as they highlight his lack of power.

By contrast, Félix Auger-Aliassime delivered a very high-level performance in his last match. Up against Alexander Bublik, who was admittedly a bit physically worn out, the Canadian was outstanding. Very solid on serve, extremely clean in the rallies and consistent in his intensity, FAA imposed a rhythm that his opponent was never able to match. He gave off a real impression of controlled power and complete confidence in his game.

In this specific context, the momentum clearly seems to swing in favor of Auger-Aliassime. While De Minaur continues to tinker, defend a lot and search for his sensations, the Canadian moves forward with certainties, great mental strength and a high level of play over several matches now. Although the Australian remains a formidable competitor who can hang in there, the difference in form observed this week appears significant.

Given their recent performances, Auger-Aliassime appears to be the logical favorite in this matchup. His ability to hold serve, dictate the rallies and maintain constant intensity could make the difference against a De Minaur who is less sharp than usual.