Félix Auger-Aliassime was able to recover in his first round match at the Australian Open, but his compatriot Leylah Annie Fernandez did not have the same happy ending.
On the night of Monday to Tuesday in Quebec, Auger-Aliassime drew on his resources to defeat the Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in five sets at the count of 6-4, 0-6, 3-6, 6-3 and 6- 4.
The ninth-seeded Quebecer lost his serve in the sixth game of the first set. He seemed to be whipped by the situation since instead of panicking, he recovered his break of service the next game and he won four consecutive points to take the honors of the first set. He put an end to this first set with his third ace.
“I missed all my game today”
Instead of continuing this momentum, Auger-Aliassime stumbled in the second set so that his opponent, who sits 90th in the ATP rankings, gave him a 6-0 in just 25 minutes to tie the game in the encounter.
Ruusuvuori continued to unsettle Auger-Aliassime in round three with his powerful forehand. The Quebecer saved the furniture until the eighth game, but a double fault allowed his opponent to record the break. The Finn followed up with a perfect serve game to win the set 6-3.
Back against the wall, the Quebecer rebounded in the fourth set with a crucial break and saved three consecutive break points to force a final set. The ninth seed recorded the precious break of serve in the fifth game after Ruusuvuori volleyed into the net. Auger-Aliassime had the opportunity to build a 5-2 lead, but his opponent did not give him that gift. Serving for the match at 5-4 Auger-Aliassime was able to close the books in this clash which lasted just over 3h 40 minutes.
The 21-year-old athlete made it to the fourth round of the 2021 Australian Open, before losing in five sets to Russian Aslan Karatsev. Auger-Aliassime recently started his 2022 season strong, helping Canada win the ATP Cup ahead of Spain in Sydney.
At the start of the evening, Leylah Annie Fernandez was dismissed by the Australian and invited by the organizers 6-4 and 6-2 during her first round match.
Thanks to a good end to the season, including a participation in the final of the United States Open, the Quebecer appeared in Melbourne as the 23rd seed.
The start of the match was hotly contested with the 133rd racquet in the world, but Inglis took advantage of numerous unforced errors from Fernandez to register a break of service in the seventh game. The Aussie held on to take the opening set honors as her opponent committed a total of 19 unforced errors.
Fernandez was unable to turn the situation around at the start of the second set and she let the first four points slip away. She was unable to climb the slope to possibly take the defeat in her first Grand Slam match of the season.
Last year, the Lavalloise was also eliminated as a curtain raiser by the Belgian Elise Mertens.
Finally, during the night, Rebecca Marino is opposed to the Czech Marie Bouzkova. The 31-year-old Marino earned her ticket to the main draw by beating Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in the final stage of qualifying.
Monday, Denis Shapovalov launched the competition in a good way on the Canadian side, winning in four sets ahead of Serbian Laslo Djere, 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6. Shapovalov will be in action again on Tuesday evening.
Already done in Melbourne for Fernandez
“I have always believed in myself”