By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 1, 2024
Felix Auger-Aliassime rallied from a break down twice in the final set to take out the rising Frenchman for a quarterfinal spot.
Photo Source: TTV
Home is where the heart is. Unfortunately for hometown boy Arthur Cazaux, it was also where the heart breaks on Thursday at the Open Sud de France.
Felix Auger-Aliassime fought through a roller coaster battle with the 21-year-old Frenchman, rallying from a break down twice in the final set to earn a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(4) victory and a spot in the quarterfinals, where another Frenchman, Harold Mayot, waits.
Cazaux came into Thursday’s tussle riding the hot hand. In Australia he was a breakthrough performer, taking out Holger Rune and Tallon Griekspoor to reach the round of 16, which propelled him to a Top 100 debut this week.
In his Montpellier debut he ripped past Maximiliam Marter 6-1, 6-3, setting up a clash with Felix Auger-Aliasime on Thursday for a spot in the last eight.
Auger-Aliassime was bidding for his 45th quarterfinal; Cazaux was hoping to reach his first.
Experience paid dividends for the Canadian as he weathered several rough patches to rally from a break down twice in the final set to defeat the World No.83.
“Arthur came up with the goods,” Auger-Aliassime said. “He served amazing, played amazing when he needed to. Honestly I was playing great tennis and then he just raised his level, he played an unbelievable game to break me in the second set.
“I had to stay calm to find a way to stay in the match and give myself a chance.”
Cazaux doubled Auger-Aliassime in the ace department, 12 to 6, but was broken four times, including once while serving for the match at 5-4 in the third.
Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, also 21 and also playing at a career-high ranking, was luckier than Cazaux on Thursday. The World No.76, who reached the third round at the Australian Open, defeated Constant Lestienne 6-4, 6-1 to set a quarterfinal with Borna Coric.
Croatia’s Coric took out Pedro Martinez of Spain, 6-4, 6-0.
In other action on the salmon-colored courts of Montpellier, Alexander Shevchenko edged Gregoire Barrere 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 to set a quarterfinal with Alexander Bublik.
Top-seeded Holger Rune is currently in action with Spain’s Pablo Llamas Ruiz in Thursday’s nightcap.