Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime secured a hard-fought victory over France’s Alexandre Muller in the Round of 16 at the Paris Masters, bolstering his chances to qualify for the ATP Finals. Auger-Aliassime’s dominant serving, including 21 aces with an average speed of 206 kilometers per hour, propelled him to victory. Currently ranked ninth in the ATP Race To Turin standings, Auger-Aliassime is aiming for a strong finish at the ATP 1000 event to close the gap on eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti. In a stroke of luck, Musetti was defeated by Lorenzo Sonego in a surprising upset.
Despite facing setbacks, such as a recent retirement due to a back injury in Basel, Auger-Aliassime’s resilience shone through as he overcame Muller’s early lead. Auger-Aliassime staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming deficits in a tense tiebreak to clinch the win. He will now face Daniel Altmier in the Round of 16, looking to improve his 1-2 career record against the German.
Meanwhile, in another match, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo faced a tough loss against sixth-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur. Diallo displayed determination, rallying from a deficit in the first set, but ultimately fell short in a closely contested match. On a brighter note, Leylah Fernandez advanced to the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open with a commanding victory over Germany’s Eva Lys. Fernandez’s strong performance, marked by breaking Lys four times and winning 73% of her first-serve points, further solidified her impressive recent form. The 23-year-old tennis star will now square off against seventh-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania in the next round.
