Photo : FREY/TENNIS PHOTO NETWORK
Félix Auger-Aliassime will try to soak in all the grass-court tennis he can during this year’s abbreviated season. The Canadian is an incredible 7-2 on grass this year. His only losses come against Marin Čilić in the Stuttgart final and against eventual champion Ugo Humbert in the Halle semi-final.
It was another stunning performance from Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday, who defeated Thiago Monteiro of Brazil 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of Wimbledon.
Auger-Aliassime and Monteiro’s only meeting prior to today’s match was at another Grand Slam event, the 2020 US Open, which the Canadian won 6-3, 6-7(7), 7-6(6), 7-6(6).
Today’s contest was slightly more lopsided in favour of the tournament No. 16 seed. Auger-Aliassime was able to convert the early break in every set, which allowed him to play with a little bit more freedom.
Auger-Aliassime broke the first Monteiro service game and dictated the majority of play during his own service games in the first set. He only dropped four points on his service games – a common theme in today’s match.
Again, the Canadian earned the early break on his third break point opportunity in the second set. Auger-Aliassime had nine break point opportunities to the Brazilian’s zero.
In the ninth game, Monteiro trailed 30-40 in his service game and sent his last forehand long, which gave Auger-Aliassime his third break of the match and wrapped up the second set.
The third set was just as dominant from the No. 16 seed. Auger-Aliassime once again earned the early break, won most service points, and didn’t allow the Brazilian a chance to break back.
Auger-Aliassime served for the match in the ninth game and fittingly closed it out with an ace, his eighth of the match. He won 87 percent of points on first serves and 70 percent of points on second serves.
The Montreal native will face Mikael Ymer of Sweden in the second round on Thursday.
Leylah Fernandez ousted in opening round
Not all of the Montrealers were victorious on Wednesday, as Leylah Fernandez was beaten in her Wimbledon debut in straight sets by former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
The Latvian dominated the match, winning 61 percent of Fernandez’s service points, breaking serve six times, while also striking 12 winners in the 6-1, 6-2 victory that took under an hour to complete.
The match opened with three straight breaks of serve, two of them for Ostapenko, before the Latvian held to take a 3-1 lead.
Fernandez had no answer for Ostapenko’s power and found herself being bullied around the court. She was broken in all four of her service games as she dropped the opening set 6-1, ending it with a double fault.
The Canadian finally got a hold in her first service game of the second set, but still was unable to turn the tide of the match.
Ostapenko’s relentless assault paid off in the sixth game when she broke to love to take a 4-2 lead.
With the flood gates now truly open, the Latvian raced to the finish line, breaking Fernandez one more time to claim the victory, closing with a backhand winner down the line.
Fernandez is also competing in doubles at the All-England Club alongside Anastasia Potapova.
Frances Tiafoe gets the better of Vasek Pospisil
Things weren’t much better for Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil at Wimbledon on Wednesday.
After a decisive win over Roberto Carballés Baena of Spain in the opening round, Pospisil was on the receiving end of a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 straight-set loss to American Frances Tiafoe in the second round.
Pospisil, whose best Grand Slam result was at Wimbledon in 2015, will have to wait another year before attempting to accomplish a similar feat at the All-England Club.
Tiafoe was coming off of the biggest win of his career ranking-wise on Monday over World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round.
The momentum stayed on the American’s side of the court, as he won 80 percent of points on first serves and 68 percent of points on second serves. Pospisil only won 38 percent of points on his second serves – a difference-maker in today’s match.
In the first set, it was Tiafoe with the first look at break in the fifth game. However, Pospisil managed to save all three break points he faced and it looked as if it may have been the spark Pospisil needed to regain his rhythm.
But, not long after, Tiafoe took away any momentum the Canadian gained and broke Pospisil’s service game in the seventh.
Pospisil did turn away a set point in the ninth game, but the American made no mistake closing out the first set on his serve in the 10th.
There was no answer from Pospisil in the second set, as Tiafoe converted the early break and dominated in his service games.
Finally, in the third set, Pospisil earned his first hold to love – exactly what he needed to give him a chance to comeback.
However, on Pospisil’s second serve in the third game, facing break point, Tiafoe hit a strong return that Posipsil sent right in the net. The tenacious Tiafoe earned yet another early break.
The Canadian couldn’t find a way to claw back in today’s contest as Tiafoe didn’t give him a single break point opportunity.
The American cruises into the third round of Wimbledon and will face Karen Khachanov of Russia.
