Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime marked his successful comeback on the court by defeating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas with a score of 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Sunday. Despite being the second seed at the prestigious Masters-level tournament, Auger-Aliassime faced challenges dealing with the windy conditions during the second set and missed a chance to close out the match while leading 5-4. However, the 26-year-old managed to break back in the following game and capitalized on his second opportunity to secure the victory, delivering a decisive seventh ace on match point.
Reflecting on the match, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged the adverse impact of the strong winds, noting how it affected his serve and power. He expressed relief at being able to recover from the tricky situation and emphasized his satisfaction with the win, especially after a 40-day break from competitive play following Wimbledon. Despite recent health setbacks, Auger-Aliassime expressed gratitude for the successful return to competition and the significant victory.
Auger-Aliassime’s victory over Tsitsipas is only the fourth in their 11 encounters, highlighting the challenging rivalry between the two players. The Canadian, who withdrew from the National Bank Open due to a back injury, will now face Juan Cerundolo of Argentina in the upcoming match. Cerundolo, with a 1-2 record against Auger-Aliassime, caused an upset by defeating 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech of France 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) in the previous round.
In women’s action scheduled for later on Sunday, 30th seed Leylah Fernandez from Laval, Quebec, was set to compete against China’s Wang Xiyu in a highly anticipated match.