Felix Auger-Aliassime from Montreal triumphed over Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece with a score of 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Sunday.
Despite being the second seed at this prestigious tournament, Auger-Aliassime faced challenges dealing with the wind in the second set and missed an opportunity to serve out the match at 5-4.
However, the 26-year-old managed to break back in the following game and eventually clinched the victory with his seventh ace on match point.
Reflecting on the match, Auger-Aliassime mentioned, “The windy conditions made it difficult. I struggled with my serve due to the wind, but I was fortunate to break back. It was a tough ending, but I adapted better in the end to secure the win.”
Having been absent from competition since Wimbledon and dealing with recent health challenges, Auger-Aliassime expressed his happiness at returning to the court with a strong win.
Auger-Aliassime had previously struggled against Tsitsipas, winning only four out of their 11 encounters.
Following his victory, the Canadian will now face Juan Cerundolo of Argentina, who upset Arthur Rinderknech of France in a thrilling match on Sunday.
Fernandez’s Defeat
In the women’s category, Xiyu Wang of China defeated Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., with a score of 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 after a two-hour, two-minute battle.
Wang, a 25-year-old qualifier who was ranked 49th globally in 2023, started slow but gained momentum in the second set, ultimately securing the win. She tallied 23 winners, 35 unforced errors, two aces, and two double faults during the match.
Fernandez, who had a notable performance at the National Bank Open in Toronto, struggled with 11 winners, 26 unforced errors, seven double faults, and one ace in this match.
The Canadian managed to win only three out of 12 return games and seven out of 12 service games, while Wang claimed victory in five return games and nine service games.
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