Next week, Montreal tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime is set to compete in his eighth straight singles main draw at the 2025 U.S. Open Tennis Championships.
But despite a lengthy list of accolades, including an Olympic bronze medal and seven singles titles on the ATP Tour, it’s his community outreach in his father’s home country of Togo that the tennis star wants the attention focused on.
In the late 1990s, the 25-year-old Felix’s father, Sam Aliassime, immigrated from the West African nation when he was around the same age as his son is right now.
“You’re there [in Togo and] even if you have a dream and you want it, you’re stuck by the circumstances of your environment,” he told CBC Sports. “And he comes to Canada, steps foot, and everything is possible here, if I work hard and I really stick to my goal.”
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CBC Sports’ Anastasia Bucsis sits down with Canadian tennis star Félix Auger-Aliassime for an exclusive interview covering every angle of his journey. Félix reflects on winning Olympic bronze and even shares the story of meeting Connor McDavid before he became a superstar.
Those values were poured into Auger-Aliassime at a young age, influencing his drive to compete at the highest level of tennis.
“He gave me all the right tools, to achieve that: hard work discipline, curiosity, work ethic,” he said.
Following Auger-Aliassime’s breakout year in 2019, he and his father sat down to plan how to give back to the community through his earned success, asking themselves: “Is there a way I can link my tennis career to something that is outside of the tennis but that also resonates with me?”
Serving the youth of Togo quickly came to mind.
In 2020, their money-matching program called #FAAPointsForChange was born, where Auger-Aliassime donates $5 for every point he wins in a match toward supporting education and child protection in Togo.
“I can’t do the math quickly now but it’s a lot of points.”
“We’ve helped hundreds of kids to get a better education,” he said. “Now we’re going to help young adults to get a scholarship to university … We really want to help to give them a shot at higher education.”
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime discusses his journey — and playing hockey with Connor McDavid:
Felix Auger-Aliassime picked up his second win of the season and seventh career title by winning the Open Occitanie.
Every couple years, Auger-Aliassime takes a trip to Togo to spend time with the youth, which has also expanded his perception of his father’s childhood, he says.
“He tells me stories as a kid but it never matches what you can see with your own eyes. My level of respect for his desire to succeed in life, and to work hard, and to be consistent with that. Going there gave me even more respect for what he’s done in his life.”
‘Unexpected’ Olympic breakthrough
Last summer, Auger-Aliassime won his first Olympic medal, securing bronze at the Paris Olympics in mixed doubles alongside three-time Grand Slam tennis champion Gabby Dabrowski.
“It was unexpected,” he said. “It was an unbelievable week … The support I was getting from the crowd, from the people at home, for my second Olympics, was extremely special.”
A few months later, in November 2024, the tennis player announced his engagement to his long-time girlfriend, Nina Ghaibi.
And now? It’s the “little wins of every day” that keep him going.
“At heart, I’m a competitor,” he said. “I love the challenge, when you overcome a challenge.
“The stress before a match when facing an opponent … when it goes your way and when you win, it’s the best feeling.”
Auger-Aliassime will search for that feeling when the U.S. Open gets underway, as the marquee event runs from Aug. 18 to Sept. 8.
“Winning a special tournament and the emotion you get,” he said.
“That’s deep happiness.”
