Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada performs a forehand return to Daniel Evans of Britain throughout their third spherical match on the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. (AP Picture/Simon Baker)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA --
For the second 12 months in a row on the Australian Open, Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has superior to the second week.
The 21-year-old Canadian, the No. 9 seed, swiftly dispatched No. 24 seed Dan Evans 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 Saturday to maneuver into the spherical of 16.
On Monday, he'll play No. 27 seed Marin Cilic for a spot within the quarterfinals. Cilic knocked off No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3 on Saturday.
That is the fourth time in his final 5 Grand Slam appearances that Auger-Aliassime has reached the second week. That features a semifinal effort on the US Open final September, and a Wimbledon quarterfinal final July.
It is beginning to really feel like acquainted territory.
"It is like every thing in life. Whenever you break new floor you do not really feel, for example, as snug, otherwise you form of really feel out of your consolation zone. Now, after all, enjoying increasingly Grand Slams and (having gone) to the semifinals, I really feel extra in my place," Auger-Aliassime stated.
The 21-year-old survived gruelling matches in his first two rounds at Melbourne Park. He was down two units to at least one, and wanted three hours, 40 minutes to get previous Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori within the first spherical on Tuesday.
Two days later, it took him 4 hours and 20 minutes to play 4 tiebreaks in opposition to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain. Auger-Aliassime received three of them, and prevailed largely on the energy of an ideal serving day.
Evans posed a distinct problem.
The 31-year-old Brit put a 6-2, 6-3 beatdown on Auger-Aliassime at Melbourne Park a 12 months in the past within the remaining of a tune-up match, simply earlier than the Australian Open. It was Auger-Aliassime's seventh unsuccessful match remaining (he has since added an eighth).
And it was the primary profession ATP Tour title for Evans, then 30.
The 31-year-old Brit put a 6-2, 6-3 beatdown on Auger-Aliassime at Melbourne Park a 12 months in the past within the remaining of a tune-up match, simply earlier than the Australian Open. It was Auger-Aliassime's seventh unsuccessful match remaining (he has since added an eighth).
And it was the primary profession ATP Tour title for Evans, then 30.
A 12 months later, even when he nonetheless is seeking that first title, the Canadian's maturation is obvious.
In a much more high-profile scenario, he produced a much more optimistic consequence.
"I did not have the perspective I wanted (final 12 months). I did not have the will. I did not function effectively. My stage of play, the particular person I used to be then most likely has nothing to do with who I'm in the present day," Auger-Aliassime stated of that remaining. "At the moment I am extra steady mentally. I do know what I need to do on the court docket. I am ready to face completely different conditions.
"And in the present day, issues went effectively for me. I served effectively from starting to finish. An in depth first set, however after that, two good units. Cannot ask for extra," he added.
The statistics for Saturday's win had been sterling. The Canadian blasted 16 aces and double-faulted simply 3 times.
He hit 40 winners, and made simply 21 unforced errors.
"Twice as many winners as errors is an excellent ratio. As a participant should you can keep in that zone the place you'll be able to actually strike, harm the opponent, however all of the whereas maintaining the errors to a minimal -- that is the perfect," he stated.
Notably, Auger-Aliassime had already saved two break level probabilities on his serve earlier than incomes his first on Evans's serve, at 4-5 within the first set.
Evans got here ahead and butchered a swing volley into the online, handing the Canadian the primary set.
Auger-Aliassime broke once more early within the second set, after the Brit double-faulted on break level.
He broke Evans 4 extra occasions -- six occasions in all, on seven break alternatives. He was executed by 7 p.m., along with his subsequent opponent enjoying late into Saturday evening, Auger-Aliassime wrapped up the victory in a single hour, 53 minutes.
As along with his win over Davidovich Fokina, the serve was the important thing.
"Whenever you will be constant in your service video games and win plenty of free factors, it takes plenty of strain off," he stated.
Evans admitted afterwards that he did not deal with the additional break day, within the wake of a walkover given to him by second-round opponent Arthur Rinderknech of France, very effectively.
It gave him an excessive amount of time to assume, understanding he had overwhelmed Auger-Aliassime earlier than and getting a bit of forward of himself.
"I assumed concerning the match quite a bit and, yeah, most likely overthought it. To be trustworthy, he was clearly approach higher than me as effectively (Saturday). I missed my probability (at 4-4 within the first set) and I panicked a bit. That occurs in tennis," stated Evans, who added that Auger-Aliassime is a wonderful front-runner.
The Canadian's subsequent opponent is a former Australian Open finalist.
In 2018, Cilic defeated Rafael Nadal in 5 units within the quarterfinals, then misplaced to Roger Federer in 5 units within the remaining.
The 33-year-old Croat performed his first Australian Open in 2007, when Auger-Aliassime was six years outdated.
Cilic is 3-0 in opposition to Auger-Aliassime. The newest victory was within the Canadian's eighth ATP Tour remaining, on grass in Stuttgart, Germany final June.
On Sunday (11 p.m. Saturday ET), Auger-Aliassime's countryman Denis Shapovalov will meet No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev, with the winner going to the quarterfinals.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first printed on Jan. 22, 2022.
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