Felix Auger-Aliassime is off to a profitable begin on the clay. The 23-year-old Canadian displayed a composed and bodily model of tennis on the purple dust, overwhelming qualifier Luca Nardi 6-2, 6-3 in 82 minutes to advance to the second spherical of the Monte Carlo Masters.
In entrance of a full crowd on Court docket Rainier III in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, the previous world no. 6 delivered a immediate reminder of the extent of tennis he can produce when wholesome and assured.
Learn extra: Clay Court Transition Extra Prominent on 2024 Calendar
After 5 consecutive exchanges of service holds to start the match, the Montreal native drew first blood within the sixth recreation of the primary set. At deuce, he would hit a superbly measured drop shot winner off his backhand facet. He then broke serve on a fantastically constructed level, closing with a well-timed swinging forehand volley to safe the 4-2 benefit.
With Nardi serving once more whereas trailing 2-5, it was the Canadian who rapidly raced to a 0-40 lead, and on his second alternative, struck a clear operating forehand passing shot winner to seize the opening set 6-2 in 42 minutes.
The second set adopted a lot of the identical script, as Auger-Aliassime had the Italian qualifier scrambling and lunging out of place typically as he dictated play along with his bodily, baseline tennis. Three holds of serve would start proceedings earlier than the Canadian capitalized rapidly on a gap, hitting a flurry of huge forehands to interrupt for a 3-1 lead.
The Canadian would keep on the entrance foot from there, defending his service video games with out dealing with a single break level. At 5-3, 40-15, he’d strike considered one of his 22 winners on the day to safe the straight units victory.
Nardi, who simply weeks in the past, secured the perfect match win of his profession by upsetting Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells, had no solutions in opposition to the big-serving Canadian in Monte Carlo. Auger-Aliassime fired six aces total and received 36 of his 47 service factors. He additionally generated seven break factors on return, efficiently changing three.
The 23-year-old, who was hampered by a knee harm throughout final 12 months’s clay court docket swing, seemed match all through this encounter, sliding effortlessly across the purple floor and unleashing punishing, penetrating groundstrokes all through the win.
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It’s his first victory on the Monte Carlo Masters since 2019, and with the win he improves to 9-8 in 2024.
The Canadian will face world no. 2 and two-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in a blockbuster second spherical showdown subsequent.
