Félix Auger-Aliassime dug deep to battle previous Botic van de Zandschulp and eventually earn a win for the Canadians in singles in Rome on Saturday.
The topsy-turvy battle, which noticed the Dutchmean lead 5-1 within the second set, was finally received by the 18th-seeded Auger-Aliassime, who used his heavy baseline hitting to assert a 6-1, 7-6(6) win.
It was not the cleanest efficiency from the Canadian, who had six double-faults to a few aces and 22 unforced errors in comparison with 20 winners. However he managed to transform 4 of his eight break factors possibilities whereas saving 5 on seven on his personal serve.
Auger-Aliassime was opportunistic within the first set, changing the one two break factors he had. Van de Zandschulp really had extra break possibilities with three within the fifth sport after the Canadian struck first, however Auger-Aliassime was capable of battle and consolidate his break.
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Within the following sport, the Canadian broke once more earlier than serving out the set on a five-game run.
Regardless of the lopsided scoreline within the opening set, van de Zandschulp was not going anyplace and started placing stress on Auger-Aliassime’s serve early within the second. On the finish of a marathon fourth sport, having already escaped one break level, the Canadian dumped a poor drop shot into the online to lastly give up his serve.
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One other break put the Dutchman in place to serve out the second set, however Auger-Aliassime got here again to life. His heavy groundstrokes had been discovering their mark and van de Zandschulp began to crack beneath the stress. With error after error pouring off the Dutchman’s racket, Auger-Aliassime managed to reclaim each beaks of serve and leveled the set at 5-5.
The comeback virtually got here up brief when the Dutchman held a set level on the 18th seed’s serve at 5-6, 30-40, however some spectacular hitting from Auger-Aliassime bought him out of hassle.
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Within the tiebreak, Auger-Aliassime let an early minibreak slip away after which did not convert his first match level. However after van de Zandschulp gifted the Canadian an opportunity on his personal serve at 7-6 however flubbing a drop shot, Auger-Aliassime made no mistake, blowing his Dutch opponent off the court docket to complete off the match in straight units.
Auger-Aliassime is the one Canadian left within the attract Rome after each Denis Shapovalov and Leylah Annie Fernandez misplaced their first-round matches.
Subsequent up for the Montrealer is the speedy ninth seed Alex de Minaur. Auger-Aliassime has received each of their conferences on the ATP Tour in straight units, though each of these conferences had been on laborious courts. They’ve met as soon as on clay on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2018, a match received by the Aussie in three units.
