Félix Auger-Aliassime is back in a Grand Slam quarter-final after the Canadian No. 1 defeated Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in the US Open fourth round on Monday.
The Montrealer beat Rublev for just the second time in nine meetings to book his place into the final eight of a major for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open. It is also the first time Auger-Aliassime has recorded two-straight wins over Top 20 opponents at a Grand Slam after his upset against world No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Saturday.
The Canadian was virtually automatic on his first delivery, dropping just ten of his 60 first-serve points while firing 13 aces. Auger-Aliassime finished with 33 unforced errors to Rublev’s 18, but none came in crucial spots in the match in comparison to his opponent, which led to him getting broken four times.
Auger-Aliassime was the first to face some pressure on serve. A return winner from Rublev at 30-all set him up for the break in the Montrealer’s second service game, which the world No. 15 capitalized on. Rublev then held to take a 3-1 advantage.
At 2-4, Auger-Aliassime turned the tables, winning 12 of the next 13 points to go out in front 5-4. The pressure was then on Rublev to serve to extend the set at 5-6 but the Canadian held three break points before converting on the fourth to take the opener.
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Auger-Aliassime faced a pair of break points in the first game of the second set, but that was the only bit of trouble the 25-year-old had to deal with on serve.
The Montrealer was able to frustrate Rublev with a break in the sixth game to lead 4-2. Auger-Aliassime held the rest of the way, winning 86 per cent of his first-serve points in the set, as the world No. 27 was nearing his return to the US Open quarter-final.
Rublev’s frustrations boiled over into the third as the world No. 15 was broken in the first game, committing one of his 18 unforced errors at 30-40.
At 2-1, 30-40, Rublev had a window to get back on level terms but Auger-Aliassime saved and maintained his advantage. The Canadian No. 1 continued to not budge on serve and needed to continue that form when serving for the match at 5-4. After a pair of winners and an ace, Auger-Aliassime had three opportunities to book his spot into the last eight and did so on the first attempt, capping off the straight-sets win with his 42nd winner of the day.
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The 25-year-old from Montreal will battle world No. 8 Alex de Minaur in the quarter-final on Wednesday.
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
