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Felix Auger-Aliassime shattered a ceiling in Rotterdam final 12 months.
At the moment, the reigning ABN AMRO Open champion bruised the again wall in his Rotterdam return.
An assertive Auger-Aliassime swatted 13 aces sweeping Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-3 in his ABN AMRO Open return.
It was Auger-Aliassime’s sixth straight Rotterdam win, together with successive victories over Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie, Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas to lift the Rotterdam title trophy final February.
That was a monumental second within the Canadian’s profession: his first ATP title after Auger-Aliassime began off with an ignominious 0-8 document in ATP finals.
So how will Auger-Aliassime reply to the stress of defending an ATP title for the primary time?
The third-seeded Canadian served with command. Auger-Aliassime served 64 p.c, gained 30 of 35 first-serve factors and saved each break factors he confronted.
FAA-NTASTIC 🔥@felixtennis placing on a present in Rotterdam!#abnamroopen pic.twitter.com/9oUHYA6lsn
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 14, 2023
Fast off the mark, the Canadian caught as much as a drop shot and dabbed a slick backhand angled go coming to a sliding cease with the primary break level. When Sonego’s diagonal forehand strayed, Auger-Aliassime had the break and a 4-2 lead.
Going through a 15-30 gap within the following recreation, the Canadian landed heavy serves dodging hazard to again up the break for 5-2.
The third seed flicked a lob that Sonego couldn’t remedy for a break and set level. Auger-Aliassime earned his second straight break scoring his fourth consecutive recreation to grab a one-set lead.
Auger-Aliassime served 62 p.c, gained 12 of 13 first-serve factors and smacked 6 aces within the 37-minute opener.
Outrageous athleticism from Auger-Aliassime noticed him stab a volley, dash again to the baseline the place he improvised a slice-bounce smash then banged a backhand go crosscourt for double set level. That stirring sequence introduced a smile even to Sonego’s face.
The Italian wasn’t achieved. Sonego scalded a forehand return winner to save lots of the primary match level.
Auger-Aliassime sealed a sweep in type scorching his thirteenth ace out broad to finish a one hour, 22-minute victory.
The win sends Auger-Aliassime right into a spherical of 16 assembly vs. Gregoire Barrere.
French qualifier Barrere beat Belgian David Goffin 6-0, 7-6(3) for his third straight win following two qualifying victories.
In a dramatic duel that spanned precisely three hours, Hubert Hurkacz edged Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 6-7(7), 7-6(4). Hurkacz hammered 26 aces in opposition to three double faults defeating the world No. 24 for the primary time in 4 conferences.
The fifth-seeded Hurkacz will attempt to beat former finalist Grigor Dimitrov for the primary time after they meet within the spherical of 16. Dimitrov has edged Hurkacz 7-6 within the third set of their two prior profession conferences.
Alexander Zverev zapped 10 aces and not using a double fault and denied all three break factors he confronted in a 6-4, 7-6(4) win over Soonwoo Kwon.
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