On Sunday, Canadian tennis player, Félix Auger-Aliassime, scored a win that earned him a spot in the US Open quarterfinal. The 21-year-old Auger-Aliassime triumphed over American Frances Tiafoe in four sets.
The Montreal native’s win over Tiafoe wasn’t a walk in the park, though, as the American dominated the match’s opening set. However, Auger-Aliassime managed to get back on track with a couple of breakpoints in the second frame.
The Canadian controlled the rest of the sets with a final score of 4-6, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.
Auger-Aliassime shared in the post-match interview that he found it a bit tricky to break through Tiafoe’s defenses at the beginning of the match. “It was a tough start for me, a lot of nerves,” he pointed out.
The 21-year-old tennis pro added that although his second and third sets went remarkably well, he stepped up his game even further because he can’t afford to sit on his laurels with Tiafoe at the other side of the net. “I felt like he raised his level again,” Auger-Aliassime related.
The Montreal native is scheduled to face off against 18-year-old Spanish rising star Carlos Alcaraz on September 7. When asked if the disparity between their ages will be an advantage for him, Auger-Aliassime stressed that he would not take the Spaniard lightly.
On Friday night, Alcaraz got the better of world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in five close sets. Although Tsitsipas commanded the initial sets, Alcaraz scored a shock victory over the Greek tennis star.
“He already feels like a player that’s established,” Auger-Aliassime said when asked about Alcaraz’s game plan. “He’s playing some amazing tennis.”
