Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime marked his comeback to the court with a triumphant 6-3, 7-5 victory over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Cincinnati Open’s second round on Sunday. Despite being the second seed at the Masters-level tournament, Auger-Aliassime faced challenges in the windy conditions during the second set. He initially struggled to close out the match at 5-4 but managed to break back in the following game. Auger-Aliassime eventually sealed the win with his seventh ace on match point.
Reflecting on the match, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged the adverse impact of the wind on his performance, especially in his serve. He admitted to feeling powerless due to the wind but expressed relief at regaining the break and successfully serving out the match. Having played his first match in 40 days following his absence since Wimbledon, Auger-Aliassime emphasized the significance of his return, particularly considering recent health challenges.
Auger-Aliassime’s victory over Tsitsipas marked only the fourth win out of their 11 encounters. The Canadian, who had withdrawn from the National Bank Open due to a back injury, is now set to face Juan Cerundolo of Argentina, whom he has faced three times previously, with Cerundolo securing a notable win over 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in the previous round.
In women’s competition, in a later match on Sunday, Chinese qualifier Xiyu Wang defeated 30th-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Quebec, in a hard-fought battle lasting two hours and two minutes. Wang, aged 25 and previously ranked 49th in the world, overcame a slow start to dominate Fernandez in the second and third sets. Fernandez, who had reached the round of 16 at the National Bank Open in Toronto, struggled against Wang’s aggressive play, recording fewer winners and more unforced errors and double faults. Wang’s superior performance in service and return games ultimately secured her victory over the Canadian player.