Felix Auger-Aliassime’s singles stay at the Paris Olympics is off to a strong start.
After a 30-minute rain delay on Wednesday, the No. 13 seed defeated Individual Neutral Athletes’ Daniil Medvedev (No. 4) 6-3, 7-6 (5) to advance to the quarterfinals.
The win was Auger-Aliassiame’s first victory against Medvedev in eight meetings.
On a hot day in Paris, things got off to a rocky start as midway through the first set, event staff rushed to cover Simonne-Mathieu court with a tarp due to teeming rain. Before the delay, the 23-year-old was leading Medvedev 4-3 and 30-0 in the eighth game.
“Overall, I think with the conditions being hot, obviously he would make me work,” said Auger-Aliassime. “He was serving well as well, I was thinking ‘Look, just take every serve, don’t get too frustrated if you are not getting your chances on the return. If you are missing a few shots, do not get frustrated. Just focus on what’s good, focus on holding your serve’ which I was doing well.
I think that was the mentality.”
Auger-Aliassime will face No. 6 seed Casper Ruud of Norway in the quarterfinals.
The Canadian breezed into the third round of men’s singles on Tuesday with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Maximilian Marterer of Germany.
Auger-Aliassime also is going to the mixed doubles semifinals with Gabriela Dabrowski. The Canadians beat Americans Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz 7-6 (2-), 3-6, 10-8 later Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Leylah Fernandez lost 6-4, 6-0 in the women’s doubles tournament to Individual Neutral Athletes’ Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider.
— With flies from the Canadian Press
