In the way of behaving, playing and communicating, Félix Auger-Aliassime already gives the impression of being a veteran. And it is sometimes restrictive when the time comes to analyze his actions. Although he’s been in the public eye for a while, he’s only 22 years old.
The expectations for him are immense. Week after week, tournament after tournament, he must shine on the field, in addition to having to be an ambassador, a model and a headliner. And all this is only in the public sphere.
Auger-Aliassime does not complain about it, on the contrary. That’s why he accepted an offer he couldn’t refuse: to become the spokesperson for “the largest fundraising campaign in the history of Quebec.”
Its face will be that of the Big Thinking campaign, organized by the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation. The goal is to raise $500 million by 2028. A portion of these donations will be used to develop medicine using artificial intelligence to help as many children as possible.
For the 11th-ranked player in the world, it’s not about giving back, per se: “I prefer to use the word ‘sharing,'” he says from his hotel room in Halle, Germany. It’s more about sharing, generosity, philanthropy. These are always things that have been important to me. I worked for everything I have in my life, but I was also very lucky to have good opportunities and above all to be healthy. »
When presented with the offer, among a ton of others he receives from all over the globe, the Foundation’s offer seemed to make a lot of sense from the get-go. “I know what an emblematic hospital this is for the city of Montreal, but also for all of Quebec. It is an important campaign for all of society, for all social classes. »
Auger-Aliassime and his sister were born at Sainte-Justine Hospital. Members of his family also received treatment there. These two very personal elements amplify his attachment to the institution, but also his desire to do things well: “I hope that I will live up to what they expect. I want to be the best spokesperson possible. »
Like the vast majority of his counterparts, Auger-Aliassime has taken up residence in Europe, in Monaco more precisely, because almost all major tennis tournaments are played on the Old Continent.
“By constraint, my career has led me to almost never be in Quebec, except in the summer, shortly before the [National Bank Open] tournament. So it’s difficult to share moments with people from Quebec,” he says.
This association will therefore allow him to keep a foothold at home, in addition to anchoring himself more in his native province and his community, even if he lives thousands of kilometers away.
But still, the Quebecer refused to simply take a few shots and put his name next to that of the campaign. He is genuinely interested in the procedures of the hospital. He was careful to understand what he was getting into before accepting.
“From what I understand, we are still in the middle of a turning point in medical technology. There is of course [the fact of] treating sick children, but above all also at the level of prevention. With artificial intelligence, we will be able to prevent problems very early in the genetic code of children. »
Three things appealed to him about his research: “It’s cutting-edge, it’s ahead, and it’s state-of-the-art.” He is therefore proud to be part of the large CHU Sainte-Justine family. “Having a hospital that pushes for excellence is just wonderful and it’s easy for me to be their spokesperson. »
During the Roland-Garros tournament, Auger-Aliassime launched its logo. Like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the big right-hander now has a brand image.
“It was long and it was done in several parts,” he says.
It all started around 2019, with sketches made by a Quebec artist. “We had found something we liked, but in the end, it was too close to a logo that already existed. »
Then his team, backed by sponsor Adidas, worked on something new. “At first, I was not happy,” he recalls. We had several ideas. We were wondering if we wanted the initials or a symbol. I find that finally, with the initials in the shape of a shield, there is something rather strong which punched and which was also classy and clean. »
Such assertiveness inevitably comes with expectations and criticism. However, the tennis player is reassuring: “I am not naive, you need victories and performance on the court. It’s inevitable. But it’s not better to win and not be ready to have an image to project to the public. You’re missing something a bit. I try to stay ready for what may happen in my career. »
Its ambitions are immense, but not excessive. This logo is more than three letters engraved on his shoes. It is his legacy. An eternal imprint that will always refer to him. Like a tattoo in the collective imagination. “I hope that later on, this brand and logo will be recognized as the tennis player that I am, but also the person that I want to become later in my life. I hope this is the beginning of a long story and that we will be able to project the logo all over the world. »
