Felix Auger-Aliassime was bestowed with a prestigious award category on ATP Awards Week thanks to his outstanding humanitarian contributions in his father's homeland.
Auger-Aliassime is the proud winner of the 2023 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award and is the first Canadian player to receive this honor since it was incepted in 1983. It is an award meant to celebrate the work of philanthropists and is not limited to tennis players.
The award extends the legacy of one of the world's most revered tennis stars, Arthur Ashe, who remains the only black tennis man to win a Grand Slam at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. He was ranked as high as World No. 2 during his distinguished career.
Until he passed on in 1993, aged 49, Ashe's achievements list encompassed off-court humanitarian work. He was eloquent and vocal in advocating for civil rights, and his unwavering dedication to social issues made him a conscious leader.
It was only fitting that the award was named in his honor, and Canada's tennis star Auger-Aliassime was "pleasantly surprised" to win it, as he described in a recent column on ATPTour.com. The 23-year-old praised Ashe for the manner in which he tackled some of the more prevalent issues in his time.
"When I was told I would receive the 2023 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, I was pleasantly surprised. It was great news. But you don't ever help others to win awards. I know Arthur didn’t."
"I first heard about his legacy when I was 16 years old and I have since learned a lot more about the impact he made. I respect immensely what he did. When he was a professional tennis player, there were a lot more important things going on in the United States, including the fight for equal rights."
"I think he had a huge role to play like many other known athletes, artists, actors and politicians. He served in a big way and helped many people."
Auger-Aliassime was born in Montreal, Canada, but his father is of Togolese descent. Togo is a third-world country in West Africa, with an estimated Gross National Income per capita of $990 and is ranked among the poorest countries in the world.
The former World No. 6 speaks fondly of his father's humble beginning there before he emigrated to Canada to seek greener pastures and work on becoming a tennis instructor. Through his father's wisdom, Auger-Aliassime has always looked for ways to give back to the Togolese people.
"I am glad to be recognized for not just what I do as a tennis player but as a person. My dad, Sam, grew up in Togo, a third-world country, where he did not have many opportunities in education or access to sports."
"The way my dad raised me was to always be aware of the opportunity that I had and make the most of it. If I see people who do not have opportunity, I need to do my best to give them hope and a dream they could hold on to."
"That is a major reason why three years ago I partnered with BNP Paribas to create the #FAAPointsForChange programme. With every point I have won since the start of the 2020 season, $20 has been donated to EduChange, which was set up by the NGO CARE, to help kids in the Kara region of Togo."
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