Canada’s Auger-Aliassime wins third-round match at National Bank Open
MONTREAL — Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the quarterfinals on the Nationwide Financial institution Open on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie at IGA Stadium.
Norrie had three double-faults in his remaining service recreation. The sixth-seeded Auger-Aliassime went on to interrupt his serve earlier than closing out the 72-minute match with an ace.
Earlier within the day, fourth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway posted a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over No. 14 Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain. Auger-Aliassime will play Ruud, the best seed left within the singles draw, within the subsequent spherical.
Prime-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia, No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece all misplaced their opening matches on Wednesday.
The ninth-seeded Norrie beat the Montrealer within the semifinals final week in Los Cabos, Mexico. It was his first victory over Auger-Aliassime in 5 tries on the ATP Tour.
There was a transparent home-court benefit this time round as the group let loose a roar as quickly as Auger-Aliassime was pictured on the stadium screens for his stroll via the tunnel to centre courtroom.
The final Canadian within the area on the Masters 1000 occasion, Auger-Aliassime’s serve was menacing beneath the late-afternoon solar.
He put the stress on with Norrie serving at 3-4, coming to the web at 30-30 and making a collection of volleys that had the Brit working backward and forward.
Auger-Aliassime took the purpose and delivered an emphatic fist pump to the group’s delight. Norrie was lengthy on the next break level and Auger-Aliassime served it out for the set.
At 4-4 within the second set, the left-handed Norrie could have been bothered by the piercing daylight as he made fault after fault. When he did get the ball in, Auger-Aliassime saved the stress on and a Norrie unforced error offered the important thing break.
Auger-Aliassime had 15 aces on the day and posted a first-serve share of 85 per cent. Norrie didn’t have an ace and landed 73 per cent of his first serves.
In one other early outcome, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz outlasted Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (3). Nick Kyrgios was to play fellow Australian Alex de Minaur on the principle secondary courtroom within the early night.
Kyrgios entered with wins in 14 of his final 15 matches, together with a victory over Medvedev on Wednesday. Medvedev gained the event final 12 months in Toronto.
Seventh-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner was to fulfill Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta within the night.
Gael Monfils of France was scheduled to play British qualifier Jack Draper and No. 13 Marin Cilic of Croatia was to play American Tommy Paul.
The Ruud-Bautista Agut match was accomplished over 4 hours after its preliminary begin time. Mid-afternoon thunderstorms induced a delay of simply over an hour.
Play continues on the US$6.57-million event via Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 11, 2022.
Gregory Sturdy, The Canadian Press
