Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime had to draw on his resources during his first game at the National Bank Open, but he seems to have found his stride.
Auger-Aliassime had a sparkling performance to edge Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday on Center Court at IGA Stadium.
Seeded sixth in the tournament, Auger-Aliassime continued his good work on serve, but unlike his duel against Yoshihito Nishioka the day before, he limited unforced errors. The Quebecer had 15 aces and only committed 10 unforced errors.
When serving, Auger-Aliassime gave Norrie (No. 9) next to nothing and made all but one of his play points the first time in the second game of the second set.
Auger-Aliassime closed the books with an ace to become the first Quebecer in history to reach the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open. He will now face the Norwegian Casper Ruud (no 4).
Auger-Aliassime and Ruud are the two highest seeds still in contention for the title in Montreal after the losses of the Russian Daniil Medvedev, the favorite and defending champion of the tournament, of the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (no 2 ), Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (no 3) and Russian Andrey Rublev (no 5).
After a first game on the fast serve and a small fall in the next game, the Quebecer got going thanks to several power shots and along the lines.
Auger-Aliassime got his first break point at 4-3 in the opening set. He got the break when Norrie’s forehand from deep went too long. The crowd favorite then easily won his serve game to take the first set.
Auger-Aliassime missed two break points in the second set, but Norrie opened the door for him by committing three double faults as the pair were tied at 4-4. The Briton withstood the first break point, but not the second, as he sent his backhand off target.
The Quebecer only needed one match point to eliminate his opponent after 72 minutes of play. In comparison, the first set against Nishioka lasted 70 minutes.
Auger-Aliassime is 5-1 in career against Norrie. His only loss to the Briton came in the semi-finals of the tournament in Los Cabos last week.
Early in the day, Ruud came from behind to defeat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-4.
During this three hour and 18 minute battle, interrupted by the rain at the start of the third set, Ruud and Bautista Agut (no 14) offered quality play and they engaged in several long exchanges which kept the crowd in breathless, but the Norwegian had the upper hand.
It was a first career win for Ruud over Bautista Agut.
Pole Hubert Hurkacz (no 8) struggled against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, but he won 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (3).