Felix Auger-Aliassime staged an impressive comeback to defeat world No. 4 Taylor Fritz 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a thrilling match at the United Cup. The Canadian’s victory came after a rocky start in the tournament, where he lost his opening match to Borna Coric, despite initially dominating that contest.
In the showdown against Fritz, Auger-Aliassime faced a significant challenge as his opponent held a commanding lead at 6-4, 4-2, and even served for the match at 5-4. However, Auger-Aliassime displayed resilience, breaking Fritz’s serve twice to force a decisive third set.
The final set saw Auger-Aliassime serving effectively, and he secured a crucial break midway through the set to take control of the match. He recorded an impressive 19 aces and demonstrated strong performance on both his first and second serves, saving two of four break points and converting three return games to clinch the win.
The match began with Auger-Aliassime breaking Fritz in the first game, capitalizing on a forehand error. Fritz quickly responded, firing an ace to level the score and maintaining pressure with a break to lead 3-1. Despite a medical timeout for back pain, Auger-Aliassime held his serve and extended the match, but Fritz ultimately closed out the first set in 46 minutes.
Fritz continued to dominate early in the second set, breaking Auger-Aliassime again to lead 4-2. However, the Canadian kept his composure, holding serve and fighting back. After leveling the score at 5-5, Auger-Aliassime capitalized on a critical break opportunity, ultimately taking the second set after a tense battle that lasted an hour and 43 minutes.
In the decisive third set, Auger-Aliassime’s confidence surged as he held serve comfortably in the opening games. He took control at 3-2, forcing errors from Fritz and breaking his serve to take a 5-2 lead. Although Fritz managed to hold serve in the eighth game, Auger-Aliassime sealed the match in the ninth game, celebrating a hard-earned victory.
This win not only marks a significant turnaround for Auger-Aliassime in the United Cup but also highlights his ability to perform under pressure against top-ranked opponents.
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