In an evening match at the Stockholm tennis tournament on Wednesday in Sweden, Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime, second favorite, began his journey by defeating Serbian Filip Krajinovic in two sets of 6-3 and 6-4 .
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Forty-second player in the world, Krajinovic had yet started the match with a break from the start. Auger-Aliassime, 11th in the ATP standings, reacted by pulling his opponent’s service himself twice in a row.
A further break in the final set then allowed him to take control of the match and he never looked back being in full control of his serve. He notably slammed eight aces, winning 82% of the rally with his first ball.
In the quarter-finals, “FAA” will cross swords with the Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp (61st). It will be a first duel between the two men.
“Shapo” too
Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, seeded third in the event, defeated Italy’s Andrea Vavassori in two sets of 7-6 (1) and 6-1. The clash between the 18th and 289th players in the world lasted 90 minutes.
“Shapo” was ready from the start, he who took the service of his rival from the first point of this duel. The loser, however, recovered his due nine points later, which eventually led to the tiebreaker.
It is also from this moment that the representative of the maple leaf took off. After flying over the tiebreaker, Shapovalov made short work of Vavassori. In the second set, the 22-year-old won 87% of the rallies played on his first serve and 60% of those played on his second. He also took the service of his rival on two occasions.
In the third round, Shapovalov will face Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech. It will also be the first time that the Canadian will play against the 60th player in the ATP standings, resulting in a clash against Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals.