The fifth day of the 2023 Australian Open was one when Félix Auger-Aliassime received nearer to discovering his prime type, and likewise one with a devastating five-set loss for Denis Shapovalov.
Auger-Aliassime received off to simply his greatest begin of the occasion to date on his option to a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Francisco Cerundolo whereas it was the other with Shapovalov. He had probabilities in each the primary and second units after which mounted a stirring comeback solely to fall quick 7-6(3), 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 in opposition to No. 10 seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Again within the pleasant confines of John Cain Area, the place he defeated Vasek Pospisil in 4 units on Monday, Auger-Aliassime jumped out to a fast 5-0 lead on his option to taking the primary set 6-1 in opposition to the No. 28-seeded Cerundolo. Within the second set the 24-year-old Argentine settled in and took benefit of a drop-off by Auger-Aliassime. Nonetheless he needed to push it too the max simply to complete off the set – saving 4 break factors serving at 5-4, every with a jaw-dropping winner.
However Auger-Aliassime rapidly reasserted management within the third set, breaking within the fourth and sixth video games with some lethal shot-making. One other break to 3-2 within the fourth was all he wanted to cruise to victory in two hours and 35 minutes.
“I’ve been taking part in properly the final three years right here,” Auger-Aliassime stated in his post-match, on-court interview, “third time in a row within the spherical of 16.”
Concerning the match, he famous, “I had a terrific begin in comparison with my two first rounds (Pospisil and Slovak Alex Molcan in spherical two) so it was higher and sort of gave me somewhat cushion. In opposition to robust opponents there’s going to be ups and downs I used to be taking part in a bit tight and never going for it within the second set, and he did. So credit score to him. However I’m proud of the way in which I turned it round within the final two units. They had been a few of my greatest ones to date this event. Some great things.’’
Auger-Aliassime, now the final Canadian in singles, completed with 38 winners and 30 unforced errors to 22 and 38 for the No. 30-ranked Cerundolo. Most important, when it comes to the strain he placed on the Cerundolo serve, was his break level probabilities and a conversion ratio of 6/20 to only 2/6 for the Argentine.
Auger-Aliassime confirmed some frustration whereas struggling by means of a sub-par stretch within the second set and later defined, “I wasn’t proud of how the second set was going, and it sort of carried on a bit after that. Possibly it was my ego that was somewhat upset as a result of issues weren’t going as I wished them, in comparison with how I had began. I used to be mad at myself however then later that modified and I used to be in a calmer house, extra concentrated. It was only a frustration with how issues had been going – nevertheless it was truly a superb frustration to assist me keep concentrated, Typically it’s not that sort of frustration like once you’re simply complaining or whining That’s the distinction and immediately that was the precise means for me.”
Auger-Aliassime remains to be combating the AO balls, however is making progress getting acclimatized to them. “I simply did a bit with my stringing – had a decrease rigidity,” he stated. “And that particularly helped with my serve. Nothing has modified with the balls from the primary matches. It’s for certain they favour gamers who hit flat. When it’s colder than it was final week it favours guys extra like Jenson [Brooksby] than Casper [Ruud]. (The American upset the second-seeded Norwegian within the second spherical.) I attempted to regulate because the match went on. I attempted a couple of drop photographs and backhand slices to maintain the ball low hoping that the man would possibly miss the ball or hit it up so I can do one thing with it. I attempted to do what I do with my forehand – going ahead and hitting by means of the ball. When you have an excessive amount of spin with these balls, it’s not the most effective thought. So I attempted to hit by means of the courtroom. I adjusted and it labored properly.”
In Sunday’s round-of-16, Auger-Aliassime is not going to face No. 11 seed Cameron Norrie as anticipated after the he seed was upset in 5 units by No. 71-ranked Jiri Lehecka. Auger-Aliassime’s round-of-16 in opposition to the wiry 21-year-old Czech shall be a primary assembly for the gamers. A win Sunday for him and for third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas would arrange an mouth-watering quarter-final.
The Auger-Aliassime – Cerundolo match completed earlier than the night time session and earlier than Shapovalov confronted No. 10 seed Hurkacz. Each are good buddies of Auger-Aliassime and he spoke concerning the match-up. “It’s a tricky third spherical for each of them. It’s a troublesome match as a result of Hurkacz is Prime 10 and has to play Shapovalov within the third spherical, and for Shapo too. It’s the sort of match that shall be robust for whoever loses. For one among them it will likely be troublesome to simply accept [the result] after they to go dwelling tonight,”
He was actually prescient about that as a result of his Davis Cup teammate Shapovalov took the defeat laborious. Notably as a result of he misplaced the primary set after serving for it at 5-4 and the second set after main it 2-0, 40-15 and serving.
His head was down and he appeared disconsolate, mushing along with his blond hair whereas answering questions concerning the loss after midnight earlier than a comfortable group of reporters. He used the phrase “heart-breaking” in describing the loss.
“I used to be up within the first two units,” he stated, “getting a kind of would have modified the match for certain. It’s somewhat bit troublesome making an attempt to win three units in opposition to a man who’s a Prime 10 participant – robust that I wasn’t in a position to shut out the primary set and maintain the break within the second.”
In a extra reflective vein after ending his sixth Australian Open, and a 12 months after shedding to eventual champion Rafael Nadal within the 2022 quarter-finals, Shapovalov stated about going through Hurkacz, “I felt good about my probabilities getting into. Clearly he’s received the higher of us [me] within the head-to-head (now 4-1) however I really feel fairly good each time we observe in opposition to one another. I often get the higher of him.
“I feel simply nerves performed a giant half within the match immediately. So sadly I simply wasn’t in a position to management the feelings too properly. That’s one thing that I’m engaged on – so I’ll hold working and attempt to get higher at that. I feel immediately was somewhat bit simply nerves. I’ve all of the instruments. I’ve all of the weapons. It’s nearly with the ability to put them collectively and taking part in huge within the huge moments.”
As is usually the case with the 23-year-old Shapovalov, the match had its matches and begins – together with instances within the third and fourth units when his superior firepower merely overwhelmed Hurkacz. At instances it made it laborious to think about how he may lose. However there was additionally inconsistency and quite a few double faults – 16 (to go together with 20 aces) – that must be excessive on his listing of points to work on.
Whereas Shapovalov’s shot-making was breath-taking in a lot of the third and fourth units – hitting 26 winners to 11 for Hurkacz – the 25-year-old Pole did make a profitable effort to select up the tempo within the decisive fifth set. “I knew I wanted to be extra aggressive to compete with Denis as a result of clearly he’s a terrific front-foot participant,” Hurkacz stated. “You don’t wish to let him dictate.”
It appears just like the No. 22 Shapovalov will drop to at the least No. 25 within the subsequent ATP rankings in two weeks.
DABROWSKI DOUBLES
In doubles motion on Friday, the No. 3-seeded group of Gabriela Dabrowski and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico (image above) superior to the second spherical, and Dabrowski additionally received off to a different good begin, successful in combined doubles with Australian companion Max Purcell.
Two different pairs involving Canadians weren’t as profitable – Leylah Annie Fernandez and American companion Bethanie Mattek-Sands (above) and Rebecca Marino and Madison Brengle of the U.S. each misplaced their first-round matches.
