It has been a tricky run for Félix Auger-Aliassime however after an excellent lead to Madrid, there may be cause for optimism that the Canadian No. 1 is popping a nook heading into Rome.
Final week, Auger-Aliassime contested the most important singles last of his profession up to now and appeared like his outdated self. Now he wants to hold the boldness ahead.
Right here’s what that you must know.
In Case You Missed It: Auger-Aliassime Finds His Toes in Madrid
After a protracted spell of struggles within the huge occasions, Félix Auger-Aliassime was overdue to catch a break and as soon as some luck went his approach, he took benefit.
Having not even reached the spherical of 16 at a Masters 1000 (or larger) occasion since March 2023, the Montrealer reached his first 1000-level last final week on the Mutua Madrid Open.
He had some assist alongside the best way, with each Jakub Mensik in spherical three and Jiri Lehecka within the semifinals retiring, in addition to prime seed Jannik Sinner withdrawing forward of their quarter-final conflict.
However when he did must play, Auger-Aliassime introduced the very best stage seen from him in a very long time. His run additionally included his first Prime 10 win of the yr over Casper Ruud, one of many tour’s greatest clay-court gamers.
Within the last, he very practically obtained his arms on the trophy as he took the opening set, however he couldn’t put away Andrey Rublev who snuck out the final two. Simply by reaching the ultimate, he climbs again into the Prime 20 of the ATP rankings and can nearly definitely be seeded at each Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.
Auger-Aliassime was the lone Canadian to succeed in the second week of Madrid.
What to Watch: Canadian Trio Again at It in Rome
As was the case in Madrid, three Canadians can be competing in singles on the 1000-level Internazionali BNL D’Italia, which will get underway on Tuesday.
As a result of his Madrid run noticed his rating leap, Félix Auger-Aliassime can be seeded in Rome and has a first-round bye. He’ll open in opposition to both 2008 Rome runner-up Stan Wawrinka or a qualifier. Spherical three may see the Canadian conflict with No. 8 seed Alex de Minaur. Auger-Aliassime has received each of their conferences on the ATP Tour, though the Aussie received their lone clay match on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2018.
Denis Shapovalov, who reached the semifinals in Rome in 2020, opens in opposition to native Luciano Darderi and would meet No. 28 seed Mariano Navone within the second spherical. A win there would probably see him arrange a rematch with Alexander Zverev of their current Madrid conflict.
On the ladies’s facet, Leylah Annie Fernandez would be the lone Canadian consultant in singles. She’s going to kick off her marketing campaign in opposition to Ana Bogdan and would meet world No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova within the second spherical. The pair have cut up their earlier two conferences, each in Billie Jean King Cup competitors, with Fernandez having claimed the latest conflict within the 2023 semifinals.
A round-two upset may see Fernandez face No. 28 seed Sorana Cirstea within the third spherical.
Underneath the Radar: Marino Comes Shut
Like her fellow Canadian did in Madrid, Rebecca Marino went on a Cinderella run final week, albeit in doubles on the ITF W100 occasion in Gifu, Japan.
Marino and companion Kimberly Birrell of Australia took down the third and top-seeded pairs on their method to the ultimate in Gifu, the place they ran out of magic in opposition to the second seeds En Shuo Liang of Chinese language Taipei and Qianhui Tang of China.
It was Marino’s second doubles last of the season on the ITF tour. General throughout all ranges of the professionals, Marino is 4-7 in doubles finals, her final victory coming at a WTA 125 occasion in Charleston with Liang.
The ITF Junior Tour handed via Quebec Metropolis final week, with the host nation sweeping the titles. A spotlight was the boys singles last, the place Nicolas Arseneault defeated his twin brother Mikael.
Learn additionally: Twin Problem for the 2024 Nationwide Financial institution Open
Extra to return on the J100 Quebec Metropolis occasion on this week’s Junior Replace on Wednesday.
At a J30 occasion in Montego Bay, Jamaica, there was an all-Canadian women doubles last the place Marylee Longpre and Eve Thibault defeated Jacey Tian and Anya Tkachyk 16-14 within the match tiebreak.
Canada additionally had a win on the ITF Masters Tour, the place Da Hong Wong received the MT100 Shijiazhuang males’s 55+ singles title.
It’s a full week for the Canadians throughout all ranges of the excursions, with Gabriel Diallo and Alexis Galarneau competing in ATP Challenger occasions and teams of Canadian ladies competing at a few ITF W75s in Japan and Florida.
You’ll be able to observe the Canadians in motion each week right here.
