World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime has acknowledged that hard courts remain his strongest surface, even as he continues to build confidence on clay. The Canadian made the remarks ahead of the clay-court season, which began with the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 in Monaco. He reached the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. “Obviously, hard court is the most natural for me, growing up in Canada. But as a teenager, I played a lot of Challenger tournaments on clay and I feel very comfortable on it. I’d say it’s my second favourite surface after hard courts,” the 25-year-old told Times Sport. The Monte-Carlo Masters served as Auger-Aliassime’s first major test heading into a demanding clay campaign. His 2026 season has produced mixed results so far on hard courts, including a first-round exit at the Australian Open, a Round of 16 finish at Indian Wells, and a Round of 32 appearance at the Miami Open. However, he has also enjoyed notable success, winning the Open Occitanie in Montpellier, while reaching the final in Rotterdam and the semifinals in Dubai. “I trust my game and my ability to adapt as I move from hard courts to clay. Hopefully, that shows in Monte-Carlo, but I’m confident I can deliver strong results leading up to Roland Garros,” he said. Auger-Aliassime is now set to continue his clay season at the Madrid Open, scheduled from April 20 to May 3.
