In perhaps one of his best matches of the season, Felix Auger-Aliassime swept past Matteo Berrettini in straight sets on Thursday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open.
The Canadian was firing from all cylinders, as he easily secured the 6-4 6-3 victory over the fifth seed. Displaying a poise that belied his youth, the 21-year old was aggressive as he attacked Berrettini from the baseline. Winning 88% of points on his first serve, Auger-Aliassime rarely missed as he struck winners and hit shots that drew errors from his Italian opponent.
After a first set that initially saw both men exchange breaks of serve, the World No.17 raced to a 4-1 lead in the second. An increasingly frustrated Berrettini could only watch in wonder as his Canadian opponent dictated play, forcing the recent Wimbledon finalist to scramble all around the court. Berrettini eventually managed to hold serve, but it was to no avail as Auger-Aliassime closed out the match after an hour and 34 minutes.
The 12th seed will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals on Friday, with the World No.3 leading 4-2 in career meetings.
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A first Masters 1000 QF since 2019 Miami for @felixtennis 🙌
The Canadian upsets No.5 seed Matteo Berrettini 6-4 6-3 to set a last 8 date with Tsitsipas!
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