There was no repeat of the 2022 magic for Félix Auger-Aliassime in Antwerp because the Canadian was eradicated within the quarter-finals of the European Open by Roberto Bautista Agut on Friday in three units.
The Canadian, who received the Antwerp title in 2022, refused to go away within the third set regardless of enjoying from behind all through. However in the long run, Bautista Agut proved too constant, sneaking out a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) win.
Auger-Aliassime lived and died by his big-hitting within the quarter-final conflict, practically doubling his opponent’s winner depend 41 to 21 however committing far too many unforced errors with 58, whereas Bautista Agut solely had 29. The pair really received the identical quantity of factors, 105 every.
All through the opening set, Auger-Aliassime discovered himself underneath strain on serve however was in a position to dangle robust. He saved break factors in three of his 5 service video games, together with each after he secured a break of his personal halfway by the set.
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That got here within the sixth sport when Bautista Agut put a backhand volley into the online at 30-all after which Auger-Aliassime used his massive forehand to attract an error to go forward 4-2. Regardless of the strain on his serve, the Canadian was in a position to get the 2 holds he wanted to take the opening set.
He may solely maintain off the scrappy Spaniard for therefore lengthy. In his first service sport of the second set, Auger-Aliassime lastly cracked. He managed to save lots of a break level with a formidable curling forehand passing shot however a double fault gave Bautista Agut a re-evaluation and the Canadian sliced a backhand lengthy to lastly drop serve.
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Bautista Agut, who was upping his aggression and taking management away from the Canadian within the second set, saved the lone break level he confronted within the third sport and broke once more on the finish of the set to ship the match to a decider.
Set three regarded prefer it could possibly be a repeat of the second when the Canadian double-faulted to go down 15-40 in his first service sport, however this time he was capable of finding a smash and a giant serve to flee the menace.
A poor sport at 3-4 from Auger-Aliassime seemed to be the ultimate nail in his coffin when he performed a poor sport to get damaged to like however Bautista Agut let him off the hook as he served for the match, lacking back-to-back forehands to place the set again on serve.
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The Spaniard once more appeared on the point of victory when he acquired an early minibreak within the tiebreak and stretched his result in 6-3, just for Auger-Aliassime to make one final push to save lots of the primary three match factors and degree the breaker at 6-6. Nonetheless, it was all for not as he mishit a forehand to present the Spaniard a fourth probability after which drove a backhand large to lastly drop the match.
Auger-Aliassime might want to discover one other gear subsequent week as he has 500 factors to defend in Basel, the place he’ll go for a 3rd consecutive title.
