Félix Auger-Aliassime blasts his way into the quarters in Montreal

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Hometown favorite Félix Auger-Aliassime is thru to the quarter-finals of the Nationwide Financial institution Open for the primary time in 5 tries.

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The 22-year-old Montrealer, who’s the sixth seed, powered his solution to a 6-3, 6-4 win over ninth-seed Cameron Norrie of Britain to avenge a loss to the left-hander final week within the semifinals of a match in Los Cabos, Mexico. He enjoys a 5-1 profession document towards Norrie.

It was becoming that Auger-Aliassime served an ace on match level as a result of his serve was instrumental within the victory. He had 15 aces — Norrie had none — and he by no means confronted a break level. He put 85 per cent of his first serves in play and gained 92 per cent of these factors.

These weren’t the one statistics that mirrored Auger-Aliassime’s aggressive play. He went to the online 11 occasions and gained 10 of these factors. He additionally had 29 winners to solely 11 for Norrie.

Subsequent up for Auger-Aliassime is fourth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway, who’s the very best seed remaining within the match.

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A protracted opening match on centre courtroom and a 69-minute rain delay pressured organizers to juggle Thursday’s schedule. Auger-Aliassime was purported to play the third match of the afternoon session, however he moved up when the all-Australian match between Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur was moved to the grandstand. Kyrgios comfortably gained that match 6-2, 6-3.

Ruud outlasted 14th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-4 in a match that lasted three hours and 18 minutes. It was the second-longest match on the Canadian Open because the ATP started monitoring match occasions in 1991. It fell two minutes wanting the time for Tommy Paul’s three-set win over second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday. 

Ruud stated he benefited from the rain delay, which got here after Bautista Agut gained the opening sport of the third set.

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“It was a tricky battle,” Ruud stated. “The primary two units have been two hours and 20 minutes. Good depth and I used to be feeling it a bit within the legs. Fortunately there was some rain, which gave me a while to breathe out and regain some power and I can thank the climate gods as we speak, giving me some additional time and power.

“This win was a bit additional particular as a result of it was towards a participant I had by no means overwhelmed earlier than,” stated Ruud, who misplaced his earlier two matches towards the Spaniard. “Such good high quality two first units. I didn’t really feel I used to be capable of finding any holes in his sport, which was irritating. He’s a really robust participant, the most effective over the previous six, seven, eight years. Somebody I feel all younger gamers ought to look as much as. How skilled he’s and the way nice a fighter, runner and competitor he’s.”

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Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz of Poland had a battle earlier than shifting previous Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(3).

The match has skilled a string of upsets seldom seen at this degree.

The highest three seeds — Daniil Medvedev, Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas — all misplaced their opening matches on Wednesday.

The final time the highest three seeds misplaced their opening matches at a Masters 1000 occasion was at Indian Wells in 1999, when top-seeded Pete Sampras misplaced to Felix Mantilla; No. 2 Yevgeny Kafelnikov misplaced to Gustavo Kuerten and No. 3 Alex Corretja misplaced to Mark Philippoussis.

phickey@postmedia.com

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