Felix Auger Aliassime has booked his spot in round three of the US Open after beating world No.116 Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-2 in two hours and 13 minutes.
The Canadian hit 35 winners and 12 aces in the win to reach the last 32 for the second year in a row. His win on the Spanish lucky loser is Auger Aliassime’s 30th of the season.
“Not knowing him it’s always tricky and playing that first set I didn’t know what he liked and what his patterns (were),” he commented after the match. “Also I had a bit of nerves. The way I served today I was able to stay close in the game and the set and played a good tiebreak. Eventually, I played two solid sets but it can always be better but it’s a good straight sets win,”
The first set was extremely tight and neither played gave up a single breakpoint. In the tiebreaker Auger-Aliassime got a crucial break to take a 4-2 lead and that was enough for him to win the first set.
The Montreal native kept rolling early in the second frame and earned three breakpoints in the first game but the Spaniard saved all three and was able to hold serve before getting his first breakpoint of the match the very next game. He was denied by the world number 15 who got his next breakthrough a couple of games later to take a 3-2 lead and managed to follow that break with another break of serve.
The world No.116 broke back the following game but was broken once again when serving to stay in the second set and the Canadian had a two sets to none lead.
The third set stayed on serve until 3-2 when once again the 21-year-old had two chances to break and broke with a stunning forehand winner. After consolidating the break he broke again to seal the match and the win.
After the match in an on-court interview, Auger-Aliassime was asked to assess his game after two matches.
” It can be better for sure and today I managed to win the first set which was super important and it was up and down throughout the match but in the end, I found a way through but I know I will have to raise my level”. He said.
Auger Aliassime will face Roberto Bautista Agut for a spot in the fourth round.
