It was late 2024 and things looked pretty bleak for Felix Auger-Aliassime. If you follow tennis, you remember that feeling. The guy who was supposed to be the "next big thing" was sitting at world No. 29. He was losing to players he should have been beating in his sleep. People on social media were calling him a "gatekeeper" or saying he'd peaked too early.
Honestly? It felt like he’d lost his spark.
But then, 2025 happened. And now, as we sit here in January 2026, the Felix Auger Aliassime ranking story has completely flipped on its head. He isn't just a top player again; he’s actually a legitimate threat for the Australian Open title.
The Massive 2025 Turnaround
He started 2025 ranked outside the top 20. Most experts thought he’d just linger there, maybe making a few quarterfinals but never really bothering the Alcaraz-Sinner-Djokovic trio. They were wrong.
Basically, Felix went on a tear. He won titles in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels. He wasn’t just winning small events, though. He made it to the semifinals of the US Open, beating Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev along the way. That run was huge. It proved that his game—that massive serve and that heavy forehand—still works on the biggest stages when his head is in the right place.
By the time November 2025 rolled around, he hit a new career-high: World No. 5.
Think about that. In less than a year, he jumped from nearly falling out of the top 30 to being the fifth-best player on the planet. He finished the 2025 season with a 50-24 record. That’s the first time he’s crossed the 50-win mark since his monster 2022 season. He even made the semifinals of the ATP Finals in Turin, taking down Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.
📖 Related: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
Current Felix Auger Aliassime Ranking (January 2026)
Right now, as we head deeper into the 2026 season, Felix is sitting at World No. 7.
Why the slight drop from No. 5? It’s just the way the points cycle out at the start of the year. He had some points to defend, and Lorenzo Musetti and Alex de Minaur have been playing out of their minds lately. But being No. 7 is still a world away from where he was eighteen months ago.
He recently played the United Cup in Sydney to kick off 2026. He looked sharp, beating Zhang Zhizhen in straight sets, though he did suffer a bit of a surprise loss to Zizou Bergs. It happens. Tennis is weird like that sometimes. But the consensus among coaches and former pros like Patrick Mouratoglou is that Felix is "back where he belongs."
The Top 10 Landscape Right Now
To give you some context on where he stands, here’s what the neighborhood looks like around him:
- Carlos Alcaraz
- Jannik Sinner
- Alexander Zverev
- Novak Djokovic
- Lorenzo Musetti
- Alex de Minaur
- Felix Auger-Aliassime
- Ben Shelton
He’s right in the thick of it. He’s the highest-ranked Canadian man by a long shot. Denis Shapovalov is still trying to find his consistency, and while Milos Raonic pops up occasionally, Felix is the one carrying the flag.
What Changed?
You’ve gotta wonder what clicked.
👉 See also: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
If you ask Felix, he’ll tell you about his trip to Togo. His father, Sam, emigrated from there to Canada, and Felix went back recently to reconnect with his roots and check on the schools he’s been funding. He told The Guardian just a few days ago that the trip "opened his eyes." It gave him perspective. Sometimes, when you’re a pro athlete, you get so bogged down in the points and the pressure that you forget how lucky you are to hit a yellow ball for a living.
He also got married! He wed his longtime partner, Nina, in September 2025. Life off the court is stable, and usually, when a player is happy at home, they play better. It's not rocket science.
Technically, his serve has become a weapon again. In 2024, it was shaky. He was hitting double faults at the worst possible times. In 2025, he was winning nearly 80% of his first-serve points. When Felix is serving well, he’s almost impossible to break on a fast hard court or grass.
Can He Reach No. 1?
This is the big question everyone asks. Honestly, it’s tough.
Alcaraz and Sinner are currently on another level. They play with a consistency that is frankly terrifying. For the Felix Auger Aliassime ranking to move into the top 3, he needs to do two things:
- Win a Masters 1000 title (he came close in Paris last year, reaching the final).
- Make a Grand Slam final.
He’s had the "semifinal curse" for a while. He’s reached two Grand Slam semis (US Open 2021 and 2025), but he hasn’t been able to take that final step. If he can crack that code in 2026, he’s a threat to anyone.
✨ Don't miss: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re following Felix this season, keep an eye on these specific indicators:
Watch his second serve. If he’s keeping his double fault count under three per set, he’s probably going to win. When that number creeps up, it means he’s feeling the pressure and losing confidence in his toss.
Surface matters. Felix is a beast on indoor hard courts and fast outdoor hard courts. He’s also improved significantly on grass. However, clay is still his weakest surface by a mile. He crashed out in the first round of Roland Garros in 2025. If you're looking at his ranking points, expect a dip in May and June, followed by a huge surge in the fall.
The "Sinner Test." Felix has historically struggled against Jannik Sinner. If they meet in the quarterfinals of a big tournament, that’s the litmus test. If Felix can finally push Sinner to the brink—or beat him—it’s a sign that he’s ready to move from "Top 10" to "Grand Slam Champion."
Check the live ATP rankings every Monday morning. Because the gap between No. 5 and No. 9 is so small right now, one good week in a tournament like Indian Wells or Miami could see him jump three spots in a single day.