Auger-Aliassime beats Lehka to claim second European Open title – Tennis Now
By Richard Pagliaro Sunday, October 19, 2025
Image source: Fortis European Open in Paris, France Facebook
Redefining competitive character is a challenge for all athletes.
Once an anxious finalist, Felix Auger-Aliassime Has grown into a decisive finisher.
Auger-Aliassime has won five of his last six games Jiri Lehka Today, he won his eighth career championship at the European Open in Brussels with a score of 7-6(2), 6-7(6), 6-2.
It was a historic win for Auger-Aliassime, the first man in the tournament’s history to win two European Open titles. The 25-year-old Canadian defeated Sebastian Korda in the 2022 final in Antwerp.
After reaching the U.S. Open semifinals last month, Auger-Aliassime won his eighth ATP title, tying him with former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic for the most ATP titles in the Canadian men’s Open era.
“It feels great,” Auger-Aliassime said. “You know, it’s a final, so both players gave everything – you put everything on the line – so I felt like we were very focused from the start.
“Two sets at a high level and then you obviously don’t know how things are going to go in tennis. I’m happy.”
Enjoy his moment 😁👏#BNPPFEuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/h8t2ZMrvNS
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 19, 2025
It was a life-changing whirlwind moment for Auger-Aliassime, who was married to an equestrian Nina Gaby A grand ceremony was held in Marrakesh on September 20th. Earlier, he eliminated three top-10 seeds in his second Grand Slam semifinal at Flushing Meadows. Auger-Ariasme, who has a 15-3 record in his last 18 matches, clinched his third title of 2025 after wins in Montpellier and Adelaide and continues to push for a spot at the end-of-season ATP Finals.
Auger-Aliassime started his career with a 0-8 record in finals and has gone 8-3 in the past 11 finals.
Seven of his eight titles have come indoors – Auger-Aliassime has amassed an ATP-best 76 indoor wins since the start of 2020 – as his big serve and flat groundstrokes are more devastating in raw conditions.
Today’s game was complicated. Lehka fought for two championship points in the second set tie-break, dragging the final into the third set.
Former world No. 6 Auger-Aliassime moved into a higher gear in the third set. Auger-Aliassime hit 81 percent of his serves and won 16 of 17 first-serve points in the deciding set.
Overall, Auger-Aliassime hit 83 percent of his serves, hit 17 aces, had just one double fault, and saved all three break points he faced in the fifth game.
After nervously holding on to a 3-2 lead, Auger-Aliassime was basically in control of his serve.
Lehecka’s backhand pass knocked Babolat’s stick out of the Canadian’s hands, tying the game at 30 and forcing a first-set decider.
Auger-Aliassime was a tough opponent in the tiebreaker and he dominated the tiebreaker.
When Lehka scored on a backhand pass, festering frustration turned to self-destruction and he slammed Wilson’s racket off his feet, its twisted head dangling from the handle. The error gave Auger-Aliassime a 4-0 lead and a forehand winner at 5-0.
On his first set point, Auger-Aliassime hit a winner from the tee to seal the 55-minute opening set and improve his tiebreaker record to 5-0 this week.
The 25-year-old Canadian had multiple break opportunities in the second set.
Lehka saved several break points to lead 2-1 in the second set.
Auger-Aliassime once again threatened serve in the tense seventh game. Lehka double faulted and faced another break point.
The Czech got out of trouble and served out the set on the tee, eventually moving the score to Auger-Aliassime’s shoulders at 4-3.
The U.S. Open semifinalist tied the match at 15 points to force the second set into a decider and won the opening break to take a 3-0 lead.
Auger-Aliassime extended his lead to 5-2 when he hit his 12th ace in the T zone. Lehka hit a forehand off the baseline and Auger-Aliassime earned the double championship point.
In the first set, Auger-Aliassime hit a long forehand. The second championship point came on Lehka’s serve, but the Czech erased it with a wide serve and then won his eighth ace at 7-6.
Auger-Aliassime hit a deep forehand and Lehka rallied from the brink of defeat, and after saving three break points each in the two-hour match, the pair failed to break serve to force the match into a deciding set.
More than two and a half hours into the final, Auger-Aliassime broke serve first.
On his second break point, Auger-Aliassime was well behind the baseline and spun a full-stretch backhand pass that the sliding Lehka couldn’t handle. The Czech’s volley scored and Auger-Aliassime scored, making the score 3-1.
Auger-Aliassime hit a pair of aces on the draw and secured the only break of the day with 15 points to make it 4-1.
On his third championship point, Auger-Aliassime ended the match with a forehand shot in 2 hours and 34 minutes.
