Australian Open FAA regains its level and moves into the

Australian Open: “FAA” regains its level and moves into the round of 16

MELBOURNE, Australia | It hasn’t been easy for Félix Auger-Aliassime since the start of this Australian Open, but the Quebecer finally said he was “generally happy with his level of play” on Friday after beating Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo in the third round.

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When “FAA” missed another set, winning 6:1, 3:6, 6:1 and 6:4 in 2 hours and 35 minutes against the 28th favorite of the competition, he felt “that this encounter was positive was for the remainder of the tournament.

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“I started the match well,” Auger-Aliassime said, smiling and relaxed at a press conference. I’m happy with how I started. I played my best tennis. After that, it’s normal for your opponent to react. »

In 25 short minutes

To see Félix go in that first round, completed in 25 short minutes, we figured the sixth favorite in the packed John Cain Arena at the end of the afternoon in Melbourne wouldn’t last forever.

Ahead was a player who, apart from a few nice shots here and there, didn’t have the weapons to beat Félix, who had adjusted well since his last performance.

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A “walk in the park” would have certainly pleased the 22-year-old, who had taken nearly four hours to eliminate fellow countryman Vasek Pospisil in the first round, then just over three hours to defeat Slovakia’s Alex Molcan in the second round. Filling a deficit from two turns to zero should be a reminder of this.

But the aggressive and precise “FAA” gradually faded away in the second set, while, as the Quebecer pointed out after the match, his opponent had a burst of pride.

Both players traded breaks early in the set before Cerundolo finally took the lead.

The world seventh had four chances on the Argentine’s serve to set the record 5-3, but he had to face facts: this match wasn’t going to end in three small sets.

Even if he wins the tournament…

Félix explained it after his win against Molcan: He is not a big fan of the balls used in Melbourne this year, which tend to slow down the changes and do not benefit his tennis.

His opinion did not change on Friday despite qualifying for the round of 16. “And he won’t change even if I win the tournament! he laughed.

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However, the Quebecer used his day off on Thursday to make some adjustments to his game and they have paid off.

The other two sets, however, were all in the Quebecer’s advantage, who broke quickly at the start of the third and then the fourth.

The 28th favorite saved three first-match balls on his serve, but was unable to do anything about Auger-Aliassime’s reattach in the next game.

In the second week

So here is the Quebecer in week two of the first major race of the season, a fact he noted at the traditional camera lens inauguration after his win.

A result he also achieved last year, even reaching the quarterfinals where he was stopped by eventual finalist, Russian Daniil Medvedev.

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But despite this commitment, Félix “has no other approach at this stage of the tournament”. “I prepare for any confrontation with the same seriousness or discipline,” he said.

Meeting with the journalists, Félix thought he was going to cross swords with Britain’s Cameron Norrie, eleventh favorite in Melbourne, on Sunday. A player he’s faced six times since the beginning of his career… and beaten five times.

However, Norrie lost in five sets and his closest rival will be surprise Czech Jiri Lehecka, 71st in the world, with whom the Quebec native has never met.

“I know I have to play my best tennis from this moment and for all the following games,” said the sixth seed. And when I’m not playing my best tennis, I have to be at my best mentally and physically. »

It’s already gone well.