Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime marked a successful comeback at the Cincinnati Open by defeating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5 in the second round on Sunday. Despite facing challenges with the wind during the match, Auger-Aliassime managed to secure victory after a brief setback when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. With determination, the 26-year-old regained momentum, ultimately closing out the match with his seventh ace on the final point.
Reflecting on the match, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged the challenging conditions caused by the wind, especially affecting his serve. After a 40-day break since his last match at Wimbledon, he expressed satisfaction with his performance, considering recent health struggles. This win against Tsitsipas was only his fourth victory in 11 encounters with the Greek player.
Looking ahead, Auger-Aliassime is set to face Juan Cerundolo of Argentina in the next round. Cerundolo, who caused an upset by defeating 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in a thrilling match on Sunday, holds a 1-2 record against Auger-Aliassime.
In the women’s category, Chinese qualifier Xiyu Wang overcame 30th-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory in a two-hour, two-minute battle. Wang’s strong performance, marked by 23 winners and solid gameplay, outmatched Fernandez’s efforts, who struggled with unforced errors and double faults. Despite Fernandez’s recent success at the National Bank Open in Toronto, she faced difficulties in this match, winning only three of 12 return games and seven of 12 service games compared to Wang’s five and nine, respectively.