Félix Auger-Aliassime was unable to search out the nice kind he displayed on the Olympics and in Cincinnati over the summer time, falling to up-and-coming Czech teenager Jakub Mensik in straight units within the first spherical of the US Open on Tuesday.
Regardless of a fast begin, the Canadian struggled to search out consistency, throwing in far too many errors and was damaged on the finish of each set in a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 loss. He’s now on a three-match shedding streak on the US Open, having not gotten previous the second spherical ever since reaching the 2021 semifinals.
36 unforced errors and 10 double faults have been Auger-Aliassime’s undoing in New York. Mensik additionally gave him little to work with, committing simply 15 unforced errors of his personal whereas placing 25 winners. The Czech misplaced simply 5 factors on his first serve and confronted solely two break factors whereas having 16 possibilities on his opponent’s serve.
After a fast begin for the Canadian, breaking within the opening recreation with a forehand winner, issues went downhill rapidly. Auger-Aliassime double-faulted to go down 15-40 in his first service recreation after which shanked a forehand on the second break level to right away put the set again on serve.
Learn additionally: Pre-US Open ATP Energy Rankings – Alcaraz and Djokovic Search for Fast Bounce Again
Errors have been an issue early on and a missed forehand at 1-2 gave Mensik two extra break factors. The Czech fired a forehand winner to take the lead. The closest Auger-Aliassime got here to getting again into the set was a love-30 take a look at 2-4, however he proceeded to lose the subsequent seven straight factors to permit Mensik to carry after which get triple set level on the Canadian’s serve.
Despite the fact that Auger-Aliassime saved the primary three set factors with large serves, back-to-back forehand misses handed his teenage opponent the opening set.
All by way of the second, the Canadian was beneath strain. The one time he didn’t face break factors was in his opening service recreation. Whereas he managed to outlive by way of many of the set, primarily because of some clutch serving, he cracked as he served to remain in it at 4-5, firing a forehand into the online on the sixth break level of the set.
Learn additionally: Rob Shaw to Face Ymanitu Silva in 2024 Paralympics First Spherical
The struggles carried over into the third, the place in his opening service recreation Auger-Aliassime double-faulted to go down break level and struck a forehand into the online to fall behind instantly.
Whereas the Canadian cleaned up his recreation a bit within the third, it was too little, too late. He had one likelihood to reclaim the break within the seventh recreation however missed a forehand. That was the final gasp for Auger-Aliassime, as he was damaged serving to remain within the match within the very subsequent recreation.
All 5 Canadians are scheduled to play their first-round singles matches on Tuesday. Auger-Aliassime will now shift his focus to the Davis Cup, the place he’s anticipated to guide Workforce Canada within the group stage subsequent month in Manchester.
Click on right here to learn the complete US Open preview.
