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MIAMI GARDENS

What a month it’s been for Canadian tennis.

First Bianca Andreescu announces herself on the international stage by winning the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, and now Félix Auger-Aliassime checks off two milestones at the Miami Open with a straight-sets win over Hubert Hurkacz, 7-6(5), 6-4 in one hour, 24 minutes.

The 18-year-old, playing in just his first full season at the ATP Tour level, not only reached his first fourth round at a Masters 1000, but also in doing so ensured that when the ATP Rankings are released next week, he’ll be ranked within the Top 50 in the world – around No. 46 at a minimum.

The first set was played largely on Hurkacz’s terms. The Pole, who defeated Denis Shapovalov in Indian Wells the other week en route to a quarter-final finish, used his heavy first-serve and unflappable groundstrokes to take time away from Auger-Aliassime, who would face – but save – three break points before taking the set to a tiebreak.

Although the Canadian teenager would ultimately win three less points than Hurkacz in the set, a brilliant volley at the net followed by a blistering backhand return winner on his first set point was enough to give him a one-set advantage.

With the momentum firmly in his favour, Auger-Aliassime would fly through his service games in the second set, pressuring Hurkacz on his own and making significant inroads on securing his first break of the match. His first break would, in fact, be the only one he needed to win. On his first match point, a tense rally that featured multiple line-clipping shots from the Canadian would end on a Hurkacz error long, handing both a break and the match to Auger-Aliassime in a tense contest in front of a packed Court 1 crowd.

Up next for the 18 year old is No. 17 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili.

(Feature photo: Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour)

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