Felix Auger Aliassime booked his spot in the quarterfinals of the ABN-AMRO World Tennis Tournament after beating Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes.
“It was a great match on my part, Andy is a big champion of the sport and the way I started I think I played some of my best tennis,” said Auger-Aliassime. “I played a great first set but in the second he fought back and it was good that I was able to stay composed and find a way through and win in straight sets”.
The Canadian got off to the best possible start by holding the opening service game and putting pressure right away on the Brit. He broke him right away and consolidated the break to take an early 3-0 lead. Auger-Aliassime managed to go up a double break after playing some aggressive tennis and using his powerful forehand to hit some solid winners on both sides of the court. The world number was able to serve out the first set quite comfortably and gave himself the one-set lead.
After both players held their opening service games in the second set Auger-Aliassime continued to play his game and earned three more chances to break and broke Murray to love with a stunning forehand winner.
The world number 95 fought back the very next game breaking him right back but again was broken the very next game and that break was enough for the Canadian to serve out the match.
There was a bit of an awkward moment on match point when Murray reached to return a forehand and his hat fell off but the Montreal native had no issues playing a let where he sealed the match.
Auger Aliassime will now face Cameron Norrie in the quarterfinals on Friday night and in his post-match press conference gave his thoughts on the match.
” I know him well, we played three times on tour and it is always a physical task. He has been playing well this week and it is going to be interesting. I need to be ready to play my best level”. He said.
Murray for his part wasn’t pleased with the slow start that eventually cost him the match.
“I didn’t start very well but I thought I fought pretty well that first set and I had opportunities. In the second set I couldn’t really get ahead and I was always playing from behind,” the former world No.1 reflected.
Rublev eases past Kwon
Defending champ Andrey Rublev beat the South Korean Soonwoo Kown quite easily in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 20 minutes.
” The first set was a very high level with long and intense rallies and I am happy that I was able to win the match in straight sets. We will see what happens next,” the Russian said afterwards.
The beginning of the first set was a tightly contested battle and at 2-1 it was the Russian with the first two chances to break but Kwon managed to save both and hold serve.
At 3-2, the world number seven had three more chances to break and it was third time lucky as the South Korean double-faulted on his third break opportunity to take a 4-2 lead. That one break of serve was enough for the Russian to serve out the first set and take a 1-0 set lead.
In the second set, both players held serve until 2-2 when Rublev had five chances to break before he was able to break Kwon’s serve once again, and again one break was enough to serve out the match.
Rublev was asked in his TV interview after the match how he was able to hold his own with the majority of the match being played with long intense rallies.
“For me, I need to take my time and I have really good endurance, and when you play someone who hits really flat with good speed and he liked to play from the baseline and you realize it’s going to be a tough match but I felt better”. He said.
Rublev will face Marton Fucsovics in the quarterfinals on Friday after the Hungarian beat Tallon Griekspoor the Dutch wildcard in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 in the last match of the day.
Tsitsipas handles Ivashka
The number one seed at the tournament Stefanos Tsitsipas was able to beat the Belorussian Ilya Ivashka in straight sets 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 11 minutes.
“I played well and I handled the situation very well at the beginning of the second set,” said Tsitsipas. “I think we both came in with momentum and that gave me all the confidence to get stronger and move on”.
The number one seed earned the first chance to break in the match at 2-1 of the first set when he set up a breakpoint with a forehand winner but the Belorussian managed to save it and hold serve.
The match stayed on serve until 5-4 with the world number 48 serving to stay in the first set. It was the Greek applying pressure on his serve and finally managed to get the breakthrough to take the first set.
Tsitsipas carried the momentum into the second set when Ivashka struggled with his serve and double-faulted on breakpoint to gift the Greek an early 2-0 lead.
After consolidating the break the world number four had three more chances to break and went up a double break with an amazing passing shot. From there was able to serve out the match.
“I think I didn’t give much space to my opponent, I felt like I was behind the ball when he was serving and I was able to dictate and start pushing a bit more and I felt he didn’t like that,” said the world No.4.
Tsitsipas will next face the Aussie Alex De Minaur who managed to beat the American on Wednesday Mackenzie Macdonald in three tough sets on court one.
Finally, Czech qualifier Jiri Lehecka, who is playing his first ATP main draw, continued his amazing run to the quarterfinals beating Botic Van De Zandschulp 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 57 minutes.
