LONDON — What started as a tough match turned into a rout as Canadian tennis star Félix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon with a 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-1 win over Michael Zheng of the United States on Friday.
The American qualifier held serve throughout the first set to force a tiebreaker. But Auger-Aliassime surged to a 6-0 lead in the extra session before putting the set away with an ace.
Auger-Aliassime carried that momentum into the next two sets and wrapped up the win in one hour 56 minutes.
The Canadian had 10 aces, won 91 per cent of first-serve points and saved the only two break points he faced.
Auger-Aliassime has only made it this far once before at the All England Club, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2021.
The third seed from Montreal next faces Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Auger-Aliassime has a 4-1 career record against the 27-year-old Spaniard, who is seeded 22nd at the grass-court Grand Slam.
A tougher opponent could await in the quarterfinal. Auger-Aliassime is on course to face Serbian star Novak Djokovic, who beat France's Arthur Rinderknech in four sets earlier Friday to pick up his 105th Wimbledon win. That ties Swiss legend Roger Federer for the most in men's singles competition at the major.
Earlier, Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazil's Luisa Stefani defeated Poland's Alicja Rosolska and Chile's Alexa Guarachi 6-2, 6-2, in first-round women's doubles action.
The second seeds will next face Americans Caroline Dolehide and Alycia Parks.
Dabrowski also teamed with American Evan King for a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over British duo Henry Patten and Olivia Nicholls in the mixed doubles first round.
They will next face either Monaco's Hugo Lys and American Quinn Gleason or Croatia's Mate Pavic and Hungary's Fanny Stollar.
