Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime marked a successful comeback to the tennis court by defeating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Sunday. Auger-Aliassime, seeded second in this Masters-level tournament, faced challenges due to strong winds in the second set and missed the opportunity to close out the match at 5-4.
Despite the setback, the 26-year-old managed to break back in the following game and eventually sealed the victory with his seventh ace on match point. Auger-Aliassime acknowledged the tough conditions, mentioning the impact of the wind on his serve but expressed relief at securing the win after a 40-day break from competitive play since Wimbledon.
Having faced difficulties against Tsitsipas in the past, Auger-Aliassime celebrated only his fourth win in 11 encounters against the Greek player. Up next, the Canadian will take on Juan Cerundolo from Argentina, who upset 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech of France in a hard-fought match.
In the women’s event, Chinese qualifier Xiyu Wang defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in a two-hour battle. Wang, a former world No. 49, showcased resilience after a slow start against Fernandez, who had a solid performance at the National Bank Open in Toronto the previous week. Despite Fernandez’s efforts, Wang’s aggressive play with 23 winners proved decisive in securing her victory over the Canadian, who struggled with her return and service games throughout the match.
