By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 13, 2022
Felix Auger-Aliassime spent the autumn season elevating the roof.
Bowing to Casper Ruud in his ATP Finals debut, the world 6 feels his again in opposition to the wall in Turin.
More: Unbreakable Ruud Makes Winning Start in Turin
Auger-Aliassime, who took the court docket with an ATP-best 27-5 document indoors, didn’t earn a break level in 7-6(4), 6-4 loss to the third-seeded Ruud.
Given 22-time Grand Slam king Rafael Nadal and Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz, who face off later immediately, are the opposite members of the Inexperienced Group, Auger-Aliassime is aware of the stress is on now if he is to advance from round-robin play.
“My again is in opposition to the wall, for positive,” Auger-Aliassime informed the media in Turin. “It might have been higher to start out off with a win right here. For Casper, I am positive it is a large weight off his shoulder.
“For me, I must bounce again and play higher, play a little bit bit higher. I am not removed from taking part in nicely, however there’s just a few issues I can do higher.
“I’ll attempt to use the day tomorrow to do this, to work on just a few issues, then see the way it goes the subsequent day. We’ll see who I play. They’re taking part in tonight. I suppose I play the loser of this match. However, yeah, I am prepared for it. On the finish of the day, yeah, wasn’t my approach, however I am prepared for the problem, for positive.”
The 22-year-old Canadian, accompanied in Turin by coaches Frederic Fontang and Toni Nadal, is winless in two prior conferences vs. Rafael Nadal, together with a five-set Roland Garros loss final spring.
The ninth-ranked Fritz, who gained entry to the elite eight-man subject after world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was pressured to withdraw on account of a torn stomach, edged Auger-Aliassime of their lone assembly at ATP Cup final January.
Auger-Aliassime admitted he has been dealing with a virus because the Rolex Paris Masters, however mentioned the sickness didn’t affect his efficiency in opposition to Ruud. “It was robust in Paris. Within the fall you get typically a chilly,” Auger-Aliassime mentioned. “However nothing dangerous, you understand? I had just a few days to recuperate since then. It is nothing that affected me immediately.
“Yeah, I have been coping with a standard, little virus in the previous few days, however nothing that dangerous. Yeah, like I mentioned, nothing that affected immediately.”
Photograph credit score: Getty
