Félix Auger-Aliassime was unable to reach his eighth ATP semifinal of the year after a 6-0, 6-2 defeat to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.
This was the 23-year-old’s first win against Auger-Aliassime in three meetings, losing in Cincinnati and Madrid in 2022.
The Canadian fell into some double faults troubles throughout the afternoon, committing eight with three coming on break point. Auger-Aliassime also finished with 28 unforced errors and just five winners.
Sinner began the match in opposite fashion to how he started his third-round battle against Canadian Gabriel Diallo. Instead of being down an early break, the Italian broke in the second game to, this time, lead 2-0.
Auger-Aliassime was then faced with another break point in his next service game and, at 30-40, the 25-year-old shanked his forehand long as the deficit doubled to 0-4.
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At 0-5, the Canadian No. 1 committed four double faults as Sinner took the set in just under half an hour.
Undeterred by the opener, Auger-Aliassime held his first break point of the afternoon and converted thanks to a double fault by the world No. 1. The Montrealer saved a break point in the ensuing game to go up 2-0, however, Sinner evened the set after winning eight-straight points.
The Italian held the rest of the way while Auger-Aliassime faced a break point in each of his last two service games and double faulted on both occasions as the reigning Cincinnati champion clinched his spot back into the final four in the Queen City.
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Auger-Aliassime’s Cincinnati run ended in what was his tenth ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. The former world No. 6 joined Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune as the only men born in the 2000s to reach ten Masters 1000 quarter-finals.
Feature Photo: Peter Power
