Félix Auger-Aliassime had a tough day “at the office” during his quarter-final match on Friday at the National Bank Open.
The Quebecer suffered a one-sided loss of 6-1 and 6-2 against the Norwegian Casper Ruud, fourth seed of the tournament. The latter delivered a perfect match, while Auger-Aliassime struggled.
“My first two games went well and there were positive things, mentioned the Quebecer after his game. I didn’t think of the end.
“I have to give credit to Casper [Ruud]. He played well. For me, it’s super disappointing to lose a tournament like this, especially here.
This performance was the opposite of the one he had offered Thursday against Cameron Norrie. From all points of view.
“I try to learn from every game, in wins and losses,” added Auger-Aliassime. Today is another game in my career, and I’m going to see what I can learn from this one.
“The important thing is how I will react and bounce back next week. I’m going to give myself the next few days to decompress before I get back to work.
“It’s not usual for me to play two good games and then lose that way.”
Photo credit: AFP
Difficult first run
Nothing worked for the ninth racket in the world. His serve, which had been his weapon of choice against Norrie, sank him in that game.
It was broken three times in the opening round and twice more in the second. Auger-Aliassime won his first service game only in the 12th game.
For the rest, Ruud was dominant. Everything he hit turned to gold. Moreover, he did everything to destroy the local player’s hopes of making a comeback.
The latter tried to put pressure on the Norwegian, but he had answers to all his attacks. Everything was rolling for the seventh player in the world.
Auger-Aliassime did not seem on his plate. He assures that he was not struggling with an injury.
“I was just forcing my shots and my targets,” he explained. I played a very good first game and it quickly got complicated without me knowing exactly why.
“I was not physically bothered. In the second run, I didn’t feel at my best, but nothing out of the ordinary.”
Photo credit: AFP
Crowd silenced
On several occasions, Ruud silenced the noisy center court crowd with high level strikes. Fans were in shock at what they saw on the pitch. Despite everything, they encouraged Félix until the last point.
When he left the field, he raised his fist in the sky to thank the fans for their support over the past few days.
“It was a way of thanking the public who supported me during my time in Montreal,” said the 22-year-old athlete. It’s always special to play here. There was also an element of disappointment to leave the court after a match like this.
The least we can say is that Ruud put an end to Félix’s party. He turned off the lights. He put away the chips and drinks. He even put the cake back in the fridge. One can now wonder who will be able to lift the crowd on center court.