Félix Auger-Aliassime in the quarters in Madrid
Félix Auger-Aliassime offered his best performance so far this year when he beat one of the best player on the tour, 5th seed Casper Ruud, 6-4, 7-5. It was his best victory this year, the canadian player is going through a rough patch in 2024 with a 12-10 record and a drop in the rankings. It was his first top-10 win of the year and only his second top-10 win on clay in his career.
A near-perfect match
Auger-Aliassime had a big challenge in front of him; Casper Ruud is one of the best claycourter in the world, in addition to making the final last year at the French Open, he also made the final in Monte-Carlo and won the title in Barcelona in the last few weeks. The Quebec native offered a solid performance, winning 67% of points on his serve and 39% of points on return. He also saved 2 out of the 3 break points he faced in the match.
Felix Auger-Aliassime will play Jannik Sinner next
The challenge that Auger-Aliassime will face in the next round won't be any easier as he will play the 1st seed, Jannik Sinner. The Italian is having the best season of his young career after a 26-2 start with titles at the Australian Open and in Indian Wells. Sinner got the best of Karen Khachanov in the 4th round, coming back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. A quality win despite the fact that he wasn't sure he was going to play after having pain in his right hip. Auger-Aliassime leads to head-to-head 2-0 with both wins coming in 2022 before the emergence of Sinner.
We will see if he is able to play his quarterfinal match, Felix Auger-Aliassime already had a walkover in the 3rd round when Jakub Mensik retired while trailing 6-1, 1-0. Sinner will have an extra day of rest as the match will be played next Thursday. Here is what he had to say after his match:
I took the decision to play the match after warming up. Yesterday I stayed up late to work with my physio. We will see how I feel tomorrow after playing 2 hours today. If it gets worse, I'll think about it. If I can play, I will, if I can't I won't. I will decide tomorrow.
Stay tuned, Stay inspired, Stay informed.
Tennis Clubhouse is more than just a source of tennis news; it's a platform where the love of tennis unites us all and allows us to take full advantage of what the sport has to offer. Together, let's celebrate every moment on and off the court!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and join our newsletter and be part of the Tennisclubhouse.ca  family!