Why Felix Wants To Help 'Make Our World A Better Place'

Felix Auger-Aliassime is currently seventh in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin as he tries to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. On Monday, the Canadian gained special insight into a very different race.

The 21-year-old, who is competing in this week’s Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport, visited 11th Hour Racing Team's sailboat and spoke with its co-skipper, Charlie Enright, as he prepares to sail around the world in The Ocean Race 2022-23.

“We just came on a very spectacular sailboat that’s actually preparing to go across the globe next winter, so pretty fascinating to see,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I don’t get to see those kinds of things every day. Charlie, one of the members of the team, who is going to be going around the world, he showed me around the boat.”

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Enright and his team are more than just sailors, though. They raise awareness for ocean health and help educate others on sustainability.

Auger-Aliassime said that caring for the environment is important, and something society needs to focus on. The World No. 9 added that players on the ATP Tour have a role to play as well.

“As [a] Tour, we’re going around the world. There are definitely efforts that we can keep on doing to make our world a better place, not just for now, but for the future,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I would be happy to be a part of it to do the things that I can control the best that I can to make a good impact. And definitely I think as a whole we can make a difference.

“People like this are very inspiring in what they do. The effort, the courage it takes to do everything that they’re doing is very inspiring.”

The Infosys Hall of Fame Open works with 11th Hour Racing to make the tournament as sustainable as possible. Some of the ATP 250’s initiatives include eliminating single-use plastic bottles, straws and bags, providing an enhanced compost programme, using recycled paper in all printed materials and packaging beverages in recyclable aluminum cans.

“It’s [a] collective effort. Everybody has to put a hand to it. But I think as a whole, the Tour, we have an opportunity to make a difference, at least in our ecosystem, and at least in our sport. Then it will hopefully have a bigger impact,” Auger-Aliassime said. “But I think within the tournaments, with the recycled bottles, we’ve seen more of those now in the tournaments. I think it’s really good.

"Maybe they’re going to invent recycled tennis balls one day, that would be pretty good also. But initiatives are always good to see and I think they’re needed for the future.”

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Auger-Aliassime brought tennis to the water, trying to rally on the boat. But the Canadian for the rest of the week is going to stick to the grass courts in Newport, where he is pursuing his first ATP Tour title on the surface.

“I wouldn’t want to play a match in these conditions!” Auger-Aliassime said, cracking a laugh. “It was cool to try to rally a few balls on the boat.”