Forget “FAA” or “F2A”. Félix Auger-Aliassime has a new nickname on the ATP Tour.

“Friday or Saturday, Andrei [Rublev] Nicknamed “Oxford”. Because he seems so educated, speaks so well, it looks like he went to school [l’université] from Oxford. I think that’s a nickname that suits him very well,” said Norwegian Casper Ruud with a smile after his win against the Quebecer on Sunday.

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On the track, “Oxford” has a reputation for being a good guy. His mother Marie Auger also spoke about it in the Journal last May. “When I get on the bus, the other players tell me he’s a good boy,” she said happily.

“He is funny!”

Ruud agrees. And it’s not because he had just beaten the world sixth for the third time in as many games on Sunday.

The Quebecer and the Norwegian often train together. They’re not that close – “my best friends are in Norway,” he says – but they get along well.

“He’s really nice and humble. And it’s funny! There are never any problems with Felix. If you exercise, these are good practices,” he added.

A great achievement

The 23-year-old player, the third favorite in Turin, also draws a parallel between his careers.

“He’s a little younger than me and it’s nice to see his progress,” said the finalist for Roland-Garros and the United States Open. I’m glad he had such a great streak this fall.”

“Before his first title [à Rotterdam, en février]He had lost several finals in a row. So I’m glad he got rid of that bad luck.”

The likeable Ruud was very chatty and also said he was impressed by the three consecutive titles Félix has won in Florence, Antwerp and Turin in recent weeks.

“It’s quite an achievement. It’s really hard to do,” he said.

After the bad luck in the final, will Auger-Aliassime put an end to the unlucky “Casper Ruud”, who mainly beat him dry in the quarter-finals in Montreal, this summer?

Ruud certainly doesn’t want that. But Casper says he’s hoping for “many more good fights” against Felix.