Félix Auger-Aliassime is thru to the second spherical of the Madrid Open, defeating Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in 2 hours, 20 minutes.
The Montreal native responded from a sluggish begin, firing 11 aces and hitting 32 winners to beat a powerful bodily problem from his opponent.
Nishioka, ranked 78th on the ATP Tour, was the extra constant of the 2 gamers early within the encounter. The 28-year-old left hander broke within the opening service sport of the match, aided by a pair of unforced errors from the Canadian. He would maintain maintain of that early benefit with efficient serving, and staved off each break factors he confronted to seize the opening set 6-4.
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The Canadian shortly turned the tide within the second, dictating play together with his serve and relying closely on his forehand wing to realize management from the again of the courtroom.
He constructed a powerful lead, successful 5 consecutive video games, seizing a pair of breaks off the left-hander’s serve; closing with a love maintain, the Montreal native received the second set in simply 34 minutes.
The margins closed considerably within the third with each gamers buying and selling holds by way of the primary six video games of motion. Nishioka discovered extra success extending rallies previous 9 pictures, whereas Auger-Aliassime received the majority of the shorter exchanges.
The Canadian lastly capitalized on his first break alternative within the seventh sport, breaking Nishioka for a vital 4-3 lead.
The Japanese managed to avoid wasting one match level at 5-3, however Auger-Aliassime wouldn’t be denied, closing out the match to like on his serve.
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With the victory, Auger-Aliassime improves his head-to-head in opposition to his Japanese opponent to 3-2 and strikes to 12-10 on the season general. He’s additionally a powerful 9-2 in opening spherical matches in 2024.
The world quantity 35, who reached the Madrid quarterfinals in 2022, joins fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov within the spherical of 64.
The 23-year-old will face nineteenth seeded Adrian Mannarino of France on Saturday.
