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ROLAND GARROS – Draws are random. But it’s fascinating how, at various stages of Félix Auger-Aliassime’s young career, he’s looked over to the other side of the net and seen Japanese lefty Yoshihito Nishioka.

And on Monday at Roland Garros, in the first round, he will see him again.

“I’ve had him in front of me a few times, since I was young. So the tactical plan is in place to know how to approach the match. After that, you always have to execute well. And you also know that you have to be ready for the rallies, ready to be paiient as well. Because he’s a player who forces you to dig deep physically at certain times of the match – to be a little more determined not to make the error in the rallies,” Auger-Aliassime said, ahead of the encounter.

“It’s always a good physical and mental challenge to play him, but let’s see. I think he pulled out of Lyon, so I don’t know what kind of form he’s in. But I’ll concentrate on what I can control to start my tournament off well,” he added.

Baby Felix

The first time they met came when Auger-Aliassime was just 14 years old, playing close to home in a Challenger in Granby, Quebec.

Auger-Aliassime was playing in just his second pro event, and hi first main draw. Having qualified a few months before at a Challenger in Drummondville, Que., he was unable to play his first match because of injury.

But in Granby, he won two qualifying matches in straight sets. Then he won two main-draw rounds in straight sets – notably, the second win came over Darian King, who was ranked just outside the top 200 at the time and was a quality player.

Then came Nishioka, just 19 himself and ranked No. 145 to Auger-Aliassime’s No. 1237.

The kid won the first set, and then just absolutely ran out of gas before a big crowd on what was the biggest occasion of his life to that point.

Fast Forward to 2019

Fast forward nearly four years to 2019 when Auger-Aliassime, already ranked No. 58 but still just 18, gets into Indian Wells on his own ranking – the first time he’s in a Masters 1000 without a wild card or having to qualify (which he did the previous year in the desert).

He posts two impressive straight set wins. First 6-3, 6-2 over Cameron Norrie, ranked No. 48 then but the champion the very next year. Next, 6-4, 6-2 over Stefanos Tsitsipas, ranked No. 10 in the world.

And then he runs into Nishioka again, who is ranked No. 74.

He loses a heartbreaker, 7-5 in the third-set tiebreak.

And then, onto the clay

A year and a half later, The two meet for the third time.

This time it’s on clay, and it’s at Roland Garros.

Auger-Aliassime had been stopped from making his Roland Garros debut the previous year when he injured his leg on the way to the final in Lyon, the week before the main event.

So he finally gets to Paris.

It’s cool (understandable; it’s October). It’s dank. It’s slow.

And Nishioka absolutely takes him to school, routining him in straights.

Turning the head-to-head around

Since then, Auger-Aliassime has done well to turn the rivalry around. He defeated him for the first time a few weeks after that, indoors in Cologne on his favorite surface. Auger-Aliassime eventually reached the final. And then he beat him in Montreal, at the National Bank Open in the third round in 2022.

Just a month ago, in the first round of Madrid, he drew Nishioka again.

After the Japanese player won the first set, Auger-Aliassime managed to turn it around and win 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. After which he went on a run of good fortune and form and reached the semifinals.

“I’ve had the better of him the last few matches we’ve played, it’s been in my favour. But I’m still very vigilant knowing how many times I’ve lost to him in the past,” Auger-Aliassime said. “He’s a player who can beat good players on any given day, so I have to be ready to play a good match.”

Now, on a Monday in Paris, with Auger-Aliassime back near the top 20 after a tough 12 months, they meet again in what could be another signpost match.

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