Felix Auger-Aliassime delivered a commanding performance to defeat Alexander Bublik 6–1, 6–2 in the second semi-final of the Rotterdam ATP 500, booking his place in the final with authority.
Contrary to expectations after Bublik’s entertaining run earlier in the week, the Kazakh never found his rhythm. From the opening games, the match belonged entirely to the Canadian.
First Set: Felix in Complete Control
The match began with Auger-Aliassime serving confidently before immediately applying pressure on Bublik’s serve. After converting his second break opportunity, Felix moved ahead 2–0 and quickly extended the lead to 3–0 after consolidating the break.
Felix continued to dominate with his serve, denying Bublik any chance to create a break point. A second break in the sixth game sealed control of the set, which the Canadian closed out comfortably 6–1.
Second Set: No Way Back for Bublik
Auger-Aliassime maintained the same intensity in the second set. Although he missed an early break opportunity, he capitalized in the fifth game, breaking serve to take control once again.
A further break in the seventh game confirmed the outcome, as Felix raced through the set 6–2 without allowing Bublik any momentum or openings.
Despite strong crowd support and efforts to lift the Kazakh, Auger-Aliassime never allowed his opponent to express his trademark creativity.
One-Sided Numbers
The statistics highlighted the disparity. Bublik, usually prolific in winners, managed just four, while Auger-Aliassime struck 25.
At the net, the difference was stark: Bublik won none of his nine approaches, while Felix converted 11 of 12 points at the net (92%). The Canadian also dominated both on serve and on return, underlining his complete control of the match.
It was a disappointing performance for Bublik, especially after the excitement he had generated earlier in the tournament. For the Rotterdam crowd, expectations of another late-night classic were left unfulfilled.
With this emphatic victory, Auger-Aliassime advances to the final, where he will face Alex De Minaur, who defeated Ugo Humbert in the first semi-final.
For the full tournament overview and all matchups, see the Rotterdam ATP 500 First Round Draw.