Given how 2022 performed out, it’s type of wonderful to assume that one yr in the past, Félix Auger-Aliassime was nonetheless on the lookout for his first ATP Tour title and was carrying the load of a popularity as a participant who couldn’t convey his greatest tennis to the largest matches.
Wonderful how a lot one win can change a story.
And now 12 months later, the Canadian star returns to the venue the place the whole trajectory of his profession modified.
Right here’s what you have to know.
What to Watch: A First for Félix
After eight finals defeats from 2019 via 2021, few moments felt nearly as good on the ATP Tour final yr as Félix Auger-Aliassime’s breakthrough title on the Rotterdam Open final February.
This week, the Canadian will look to recapture the Dutch magic as he makes an attempt to defend a title for the primary time in his profession.
Auger-Aliassime is the third seed in Rotterdam, however faces a gauntlet if he hopes to run it again. He opens once more Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego and will meet sixth seed Daniil Medvedev, who leads their head-to-head 4-0, within the quarterfinals.
Andrey Rublev is the second seed and a possible semifinal opponent for Auger-Aliassime. Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz can be within the backside half. Stefanos Tsitsipas, who fell to the Canadian within the 2022 closing, is the highest seed and should take care of Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune and Alexander Zverev within the prime half of the draw.
Denis Shapovalov will look to place a stunning defeat final week in Dallas behind him as he’s again in motion this week in Delray Seaside, the place he’s the third seed. After a bye, he’ll play an American, both Michael Mmoh or Aleksandar Kovacevic, and will meet fifth seed Yoshihito Nishioka within the quarter-finals.
Taylor Fritz is the highest seed and one among 13 People within the 28-man draw. He and Shapovalov may meet within the semifinals.
Rebecca Marino is the lone Canadian girl who made it into the stacked singles draw on the WTA 500 occasion in Doha this week, profitable three three-set qualifying matches, two of them over seeds, to get into the primary draw. She doesn’t but know the place she will likely be positioned within the draw, though potential opponents embody sixth seed Daria Kasatkina and seventh seed Belinda Bencic.
Leylah Annie Fernandez practically joined her, however misplaced within the closing spherical of qualifying to the highest seed Karolina Pliskova. Bianca Andreescu withdrew.
World No. 1 Iga Świątek is enjoying her first occasion because the Australian Open and is the defending champion in Doha. She leads seven of the world’s Prime 10, together with Jessica Pegula, Caroline Garcia, Maria Sakkari, Coco Gauff, Kasatkina and Bencic.
Males’s world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will make his return to the tour this week on the Argentina Open on clay, the place he’s the highest seed. The previous world No. 1 has not performed because the Paris Masters final November.
In Case You Missed It: A Week to Neglect for Canada
5 Canadians performed in fundamental attracts final week on the 2 fundamental excursions, however none managed to win a match.
On the WTA 500 occasion in Abu Dhabi, Bianca Andreescu, Leylah Annie Fernandez, and Rebecca Marino all misplaced their first-round matches on the identical day.
Marino misplaced to eventual semifinalist Qinwen Zheng, whereas Fernandez’s comeback bid fell brief in opposition to Shelby Rogers. Andreescu misplaced to good friend Yulia Putintseva in straight units, though she did get a free dinner out of it.
Denis Shapovalov was shocked in his opening match on the Dallas Open by Yibing Wu of China in straight units. Nonetheless, he was redeemed when Wu went on to win the title, defeating prime seed Taylor Fritz within the semis earlier than outlasting John Isner in a three-hour, three-tiebreak closing that ended 14-12 within the third set breaker, with the American having pounded 44 aces within the match.
With the win, Wu turns into the primary Chinese language man to win a singles title on the ATP Tour.
The closest a Canadian got here to profitable a match final week was Gabriel Diallo, who made his ATP Tour debut as a fortunate loser in Dallas. He misplaced in a third-set tiebreak to Emilio Gomez.
Beneath the Radar:
Vasek Pospisil appears to choose up the place he left off on the ATP Challenger Tour this week. He’s the highest seed at an occasion in Cherbourg, France.
Highlights on the ITF circuit this week embody Carol Zhao and Ana Grubor at a W60 occasion in Mexico, whereas a quartet of younger Canadian ladies are competing within the Dominican Republic.
You possibly can comply with the Canadians in motion each week right here.
