On a day headlined by a shock upset, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Victoria Mboko both got the job done in the Roland-Garros second round on Thursday.
Auger-Aliassime dropped the opener and was down a break in the third set against Roman Andres Burruchaga but quickly bounced back, thanks to a strong showing behind his serve and forehand. The 25-year-old from Montreal won an impressive 83 per cent of his first-serve points and fired 43 winners, 39 of which came on his forehand en route to the 4-6, 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 victory.
The Canadian No. 1 is now the highest-remaining seed in the top half of the draw following Jannik Sinner’s surprise exit earlier in the day.
Auger-Aliassime breezed through his opening two service games, winning eight-straight points behind his delivery. Though, the pressure began to set in shortly after for the Montrealer who had to serve his way through deuce in the fifth game before being faced with double break point at 3-3, 15-40. Burruchaga converted on the second try and backed up his break to close in on taking the first set at 5-3.
The Argentine comfortably sealed the opener from 5-4, 40-love, to grab a one-set lead over the No. 4 seed.
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However, Auger-Aliassime was unfazed in the second. The Canadian won a 22-shot rally on break point in the second game then, at 0-3, 40-AD, a Burruchaga double fault handed the world No. 6 a double-break lead.
Auger-Aliassime soon gained set point in the sixth game, watching the Argentine’s forehand sail long to earn his first bagel of the year and even the match.
The Canuck came out flying to start the third, adding nine winners to his tally through the first six games – all coming off the forehand. Both players conceded just one point behind their first serve over that span as the set was at stalemate.
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Auger-Aliassime saved four of five break points in the seventh game but responded immediately after the loss of serve, breaking back from 4-3, 30-love, to keep the contest balanced. The Montrealer then turned things up late in the set. At 5-5, 15-all, Auger-Aliassime won seven balls on the fly to close out the third and get within one set of the third round.
The Canadian was relentless to begin the fourth, conceding just one point in his opening two service game before firing back-to-back forehand winners at 1-2, 30-all, for the important break. The US Open semifinalist then broke for the second-straight time and had the opportunity to serve for the match.
With match point at 5-1, 40-15, Auger-Aliassime punched his ticket into round three with his seventh ace to complete the mini-comeback.
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The Canuck awaits the winner of No. 31 seed Brandon Nakashima and Frenchman Luca Van Assche in the round of 32.
Mboko Into Second-Straight Roland-Garros Third Round
Victoria Mboko followed Auger-Aliassime’s victory on Court Simonne-Mathieu and returned to the Roland-Garros third round thanks to a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win over Katerina Siniakova on Thursday.
The 19-year-old from Burlington recovered after a slow first couple of sets, but she managed to force a decider despite losing serve six times on ten attempts. Mboko broke in back-to-back return games to seal the match in two-and-a-half hours, part of her eight breaks on the evening. The teen will want to see a decline in her unforced-errors count next match as she finished with 59.
It wasn’t easy for either player to be on serve in the opening set. Mboko and Siniakova each held just once through the first eight games, both converting on three of six break points. The Canadian put an end to the break parade with a tight hold after deuce two in the ninth game, but was shortly under pressure again at 5-5, 30-40, and conceded serve for the fourth time. Siniakova then served out the opening set to take the edge.
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The services struggles continued for Mboko in the second. A couple of unforced errors at 1-1, love-30, gave Siniakova an even greater advantage in the match. However, the world No. 9 responded with a crucial break back and dug deep through three double faults, plus a break point, to bring the set to 3-2.
The break frenzy returned starting in the seventh game. Mboko broke to gain the chance to serve for the second, but the Canuck was broken to love as Siniakova served to keep the set alive at 4-5. Mboko got the better of the game’s longer rallies and clinched the second on return to force a decider.
The Canadian found some rhythm on, stringing together three-straight holds for the first time in the match. Mboko then broke in the fifth game and confidently backed up her break to grab a commanding 5-2 lead.
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Match point came the Burlingtonian’s way at 2-5, 40-AD, where she sealed her spot back into the third round at Roland-Garros. Mboko will have the opportunity to better her result from last year when she faces No. 19 seed Madison Keys on Saturday.
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
