Less than 24 hours after playing one of his best games of the season, Félix Auger-Aliassime probably played one of his worst, Friday afternoon, in the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open.
Posted at 3:36 p.m.
Updated at 5:52 p.m.
The Quebecer lost to the Norwegian Casper Ruud in two short sets of 1-6 and 2-6.
It is not the same player as the day before who appeared on the center court of the IGA stadium. Absolutely nothing seemed to work. He himself was struggling to explain what had happened, about thirty minutes after saying goodbye to the Montreal supporters.
“I never thought it would end like this today,” he said. I have to give Casper credit for playing well. You always have to give credit when it’s due. For me, it’s super disappointing to lose like that in any tournament, especially here. »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Casper Ruud
The first minutes of the match had however gone well. The Quebecer went there with a break of service in the first game, scoring four unanswered points. But Ruud, 4e seed, quickly returned the favor, breaking him in the next game to make it 1-1.
Auger-Aliassime then began to chain unforced errors. His balls lacked precision or ended up in the net. The Norwegian, in full control, took the next five games.
“I forced my shots a bit, my targets, noted the Quebecer. However, I played a very good first game. Afterwards, it quickly got complicated without my knowing exactly why. I have an idea… But I wasn’t physically bothered. »
Naturally, “everyone can lose a first set”, according to Auger-Aliassime, who claims not to have been discouraged at that time. But things did not improve thereafter. Ruud gave himself the first four games of the second set. “At this point, it becomes really difficult. I was doing my best, but he was also getting more and more comfortable and confident,” the 22-year-old said.
In the stands, the crowd never stopped sending him love. Obviously, that wasn’t enough. The Quebecer committed a total of 21 unforced errors, against 8 for his opponent, and 4 double faults.
That’s a shame. I always like to feel like I gave myself every chance to win. That I left everything on the court. Yes, of course, I tried, but the match happened quickly. I was not lucky. Victory was so far away today.
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Serving Difficulties
Thursday, Auger-Aliassime had won 92% of his first balls in his quick victory against Cameron Norrie. “More and more, I know that I can be one of the very good servers on the circuit. Again today, I proved it, ”he said after the duel.
On Friday, the portrait was totally different. The crowd favorite hit 10 aces, but only won 18 of his first 32 balls (56%). When it’s bad, it’s bad.
“If I had served like yesterday, the way I can serve, things would have been easier. I know Ruud, we have been playing together for several years, we trained a lot together even though our last matches were on clay. The result is never like this. We know our ways of playing. »
“There are several aspects that didn’t work well today, that’s for sure,” he summed up.
When leaving the field after his setback, the Quebecer raised his fist in the air to greet the crowd.
“There was a mixture of thanks, of thanking the public after my time in Montreal, he explained. The tournament, we don’t play it every year, so it’s always special for me. On the other hand, there was an element of disappointment to leave the court after a game like this, but that’s the reality. I have to live with. »
Bounce
This is where the Montreal career of Auger-Aliassime ends. He will not have been able to take advantage of the advantageous table which had settled with the elimination of many seeds from the start of the tournament.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
In the stands, the crowd never stopped cheering Félix Auger-Aliassime, but that wasn’t enough. He continued to fight well, but only won two games. He committed a total of 22 unforced errors and 4 double faults.
Now, the main thing for him will be to put his finger on “what actually happened, try to act on it and, after, move on”. Turn the page for the next tournament, that of Cincinnati.
“I’m not someone who gets too emotional or doubtful, who ponders or asks questions. In the end, it’s tennis, it’s a sport.
“Each time, I try to learn from all the matches, wins and losses. Today is another match played in my career. I’ll see what I can learn from it. The important thing, afterwards, is how I will react, how I will bounce back next week. »
As for Casper Ruud, he will face the Pole Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals this Saturday.