Félix Auger-Aliassime delivered his finest win of the season on Monday, upsetting Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.
Competing on Arantxa Sanchez Stadium, the 23-year-old produced a whole efficiency to beat the three-time Grand Slam finalist in a single hour, 59 minutes.
In a aggressive first set, it was the Canadian who dictated play within the high-altitude situations, controlling the factors together with his forehand and utilizing his deft abilities at web.
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After buying and selling service holds till 3-all, the Montreal native made the primary transfer, pressuring the Norwegian with deep returns. A pair of unforced errors from Ruud opened the door as Auger-Aliassime struck a forehand winner to grab the primary break of the match.
He stayed in entrance on the scoreboard, backing his service video games by successful 11 of 12 factors on the web within the first set.
He would shut with a maintain of serve to take the opener 6-4 in 46 minutes.
Auger-Aliassime maintained his strain early within the second set, breaking within the opening service recreation and staving off a pair of probabilities for Ruud to carry for a 2-0 lead.
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Nevertheless, the Norwegian had a bout of momentum, hitting a spotlight reel working forehand cross off the Canadian’s drop shot volley to interrupt again for 2-2. Auger-Aliassime weathered one other storm from Ruud to carry for 3-3. He once more needed to hold his composure at 4-5, escaping a 15-30 scoreline to get the set again on even phrases.
Utilizing his court docket protection and athleticism on return, he once more pressured Ruud, drawing extra unforced errors to safe an important break for a 6-5 lead.
He closed out proceedings on serve, ending with a winner at web on match level to finish the straight units victory.
Auger-Aliassime completed with 33 winners in whole, with 25 coming from his forehand facet. It’s his finest profession victory on clay by rating, as he returns to the quarter-finals of Madrid for the second time.
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With the win, the Montreal native additionally improves his head-to-head towards Ruud to 2-3. He’s by way of to his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal since reaching the final eight of Indian Wells final 12 months.
He’ll face top-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy subsequent.
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