By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday February 7, 2024
Two-time Open 13 finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime dropped just two first-serve points en route to victory on Wednesday.
Photo Source: ©Corinne Dubreuil / Open 13
Two-time Open 13 finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime likes the even years in Provence. The Canadian reached the title round in 2022, and again in 2024, and this year he has hopes of taking the final step in Marseille.
(2020 and 2022 mark Auger-Aliassime’s last two appearances in Provence).
He took a step in that direction on Wednesday, serving to perfection as he took out French wild card Quentin Halys, 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 18 minutes.
It was a dominant first set, but Auger-Aliassime was pushed in the second set by Halys. He broke on a double-fault by the World No.101 to take a 6-5 lead, then saved a break point in the next game as he served out the match.
“I think I started the perfect way, hitting my targets and being aggressive, keeping him on defense and without much time. So it was the perfect start. Then he was serving too good in the second set until I got lucky with a double fault… I think I played a very complete match.”
Auger-Aliassime improves to 8-3 in Marseille – the No.7 seed will face China’s Zhang Zhizhen in the second round on Thursday.
“Twice a finalist, so obviously I’ve won some matches here but didn’t go all the way to the end,” Auger-Aliassime said on court after the win. “Let’s see if I can be part of another final here, but the week is so young and there is still a lot of tennis to play.”
Auger-Aliassime, who lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2020 final, and Andrey Rublev in the 2022 title match, improved to 5-3 on the season.
Machac, Humbert and Khachanov Reach Last Eight
Tomas Machac, who upset Andy Murray on Tuesday, kept up his fine play with a 6-3, 6-2 win over sixth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, while fourth-seeded Ugo Humbert topped Hugo Gaston 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Karen Khachanov toppled Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 7-5.
In other action, Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori defeated France’s Luca Van Assche 7-6(2), 6-4.