Auger-Aliassime advances to final of Australian Open tune-up event

Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime returns the ball. (Martin Meissner / AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the final of the Murray River Open.

The No. 3 seed, from Montreal, downed world No. 80 Corentin Moutet of France 6-1, 6-2 in a semifinal at the Australian Open tune-up tournament on Saturday.

Auger-Aliassime will face No. 8 seed Daniel Evans of Great Britain in the final of the ATP Tour event on Sunday (Saturday night Eastern Time). Evans beat Jeremy Chardy of France 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal.

Auger-Aliassime won 25 of 27 first-service points against Moutet.

"Everything went well from my side and I served well, a bit like last night," Auger-Aliassime said in an on-court interview. "I'm playing well and feeling healthy. I am trying to finish the week strong. I need to keep doing the things I'm doing well. I need to serve well and be dominant tomorrow (against Evans)."

The 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime, ranked 21st in the world, has an 0-6 lifetime record in ATP Tour finals.

Evans, the world No. 33, also is looking for his first career title. He is 0-2 in finals.

The Canadian is gearing up for his second main-draw appearance of his career at the Australian Open. He lost in the first round of the Grand Slam last year.

The 20th-seeded Auger-Aliassime will face German lucky loser Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in the first round this year.

Auger-Aliassime is one of seven Canadian players in the singles draws at the Australian Open, which begins Monday (Sunday night Eastern Time).

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