Felix Cruises, Sets Potential Shapo Showdown At AO
Just four days ago, Felix Auger-Aliassime suffered a devastating loss in the championship match of the Murray River Open to fall to 0-7 in ATP Tour finals. But after two straight-sets victories in the Australian Open, that defeat feels like it is in the distant past.
Auger-Aliassime defeated home favourite James Duckworth 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and 45 minutes on Thursday to reach the third round of a major for the third time. Entering the week, he didn’t own a main draw win at the season’s first Grand Slam.
But the Canadian has looked at home on the Melbourne Park hard courts since his arrival. The 20-year-old is now 6-1 on the season, with all seven of his matches coming at this venue. Auger-Aliassime has not lost more than four games in the six sets he has played in the Australian Open, and he will next face countryman Denis Shapovalov or another Aussie, Bernard Tomic, for a spot in the Round of 16.
Auger-Aliassime struck 19 aces and did not face a break point in his victory against Duckworth. The Aussie is a gritty opponent, but the 20th seed used his superior firepower to his advantage, hitting 38 winners to just 23 unforced errors.
When he lost in Sunday’s Murray River Open final against Daniel Evans, Auger-Aliassime was consistently misfiring. But since the start of the Australian Open he has kept his game under control, and he finished off Duckworth with a forehand winner and a fist pump.