(Halle) Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime defeated American Mackenzie McDonald 7-6 (7), 6-1 to earn his ticket to the quarter-finals of the Halle grass court tournament.
Posted at 1:51 p.m.
Auger-Aliassime saved a set point before winning the first set on his second opportunity.
The ninth racket in the world then had more ease in winning against its rival ranked 53e in the world. Auger-Aliassime earned the game’s first break of service in the third game of the second set. He came back two games later, and then the rest of the game was a formality.
He finished the match by breaking McDonald’s serve for the third time in a row with a powerful forehand winner.
Auger-Aliassime had 15 aces during the match and saved the only break point he conceded to his opponent.
In the quarter-finals, Auger-Aliassime will face Pole Hubert Hurkacz, ranked 12e in the world. Hurkacz defeated Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Favorite Daniil Medvedev advanced through the first round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Belgium’s David Goffin. The Russian will now cross swords with Belarusian Ilya Ivashka in the second round.
Medvedev, who regained the world No. 1 ranking on Monday, is still chasing a first title in 2022.
In another second-round match, Australian Nick Kyrgios showed second-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas the exit by winning 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. In the quarter-finals, Kyrgios will face Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, who defeated American Sebastian Korda 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.