Felix Auger-Aliassime is in the final of the ABN-AMRO World Tennis Tournament after beating defending champion Andrey Rublev 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 21 minutes.
The Canadian hit 48 winners and saved the seven break points he faced in the entire match to book a place in is his second Rotterdam final after 2020.
“The first set was a tight one and I had my chances,” said the Canadian. “I felt I could have won it but he came up with some big shots and it was a very close tiebreak. The second I was close to losing and midway through I got a second wind and played much better”.
The first four games of the match went on serve with no issues for both players and at 2-2, it was the Russian with the first break opportunity with a gorgeous backhand winner down the line to set it up.
The Montreal native was able to save it and hold serve. At 3-2 he had three breakpoints of his own but the world number seven saved all of them and was able to avoid getting broken.
At 6-5 Auger-Aliassime had three set points but again was denied by the Moscow native and the set went into a tiebreak.
Rublev jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Canadian won the next three points and it stayed tight until Rublev was able to win a point on Auger Aliassime serve at 6-5 to win the breaker and the first set.
The second set followed a similar pattern and at 2-1 the world number seven had another chance to break but the Canadian hung tough and saved it and held serve again.
At 3-2, the Russian set up three more breakpoints with another stunning passing shot but again the world number nine saved all three breakpoints.
The Canadian had another chance at 4-4 using his powerful and precise forehand to set up the breakpoint and did a good job forcing the error on the following point to break and serve out the second set.
The Montreal native carried the momentum into the third set and earned three more break points but this time was denied by the Russian who was able to hold his serve again.
At 1-1, the world number nine had two more chances and was able to break serve for a second time to take an early 2-1 lead, and after consolidating the break broke Rublev a second time.
From there the Canadian looked solid and was able to serve out the match to book his spot in Sunday’s final.
After the match in his post-match press conference, Auger Aliassime spoke about the keys to winning tomorrow’s match and winning his first title.
“I have to find the right balance between attacking and trying to dominate the rally but at the same time I don’t have to force the shot and make unforced mistakes,” he said. “And fight and give it my all. It’s a final so the key is going out there and to leave with no regrets”.
Tsitsipas overcomes Lehecka to reach the final
Stefanos Tsitsipas also came back from a set down to beat the Czech qualifier Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 52 minutes to reach the final.
Lehecka had an amazing week by qualifying for his first ATP main draw and making it all the way to the semis.
“He was very unpredictable”. Tsitsipas said in his post-match press conference. ” I felt like he was attacking a lot and honestly I had a feeling it wasn’t going to last too long and he had a good week and it wasn’t easy to stay patient”.
The first two games of the match went on serve and at 1-1, the Czech earned a breakpoint and broke the Greek serve to take a 2-1 lead. That one break of serve was enough for him to serve out the first set.
The second set stayed on serve until 5-4 with the world number 137 serving to stay in the set the number one seed started to apply more pressure on his serve and was able to break to take the second set.
After holding the opening service game of the third set the momentum was with the world number four and he broke to take an early 2-0 lead. He then went up a double break before serving out the match.
” It means quite a lot and it’s nice to be playing the finals here and I am ready for this one last match,” said Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas currently holds a 5-2 lead in his head-to-head with Auger Aliassime with their most recent match last summer in Cincinnati with the Greek winning a tight three-set match.
