Auger-Aliassime achieves his first comeback of the year in Adelaide | ATP Tour

Adelaide

Auger-Aliassime achieves his first comeback of the year in Adelaide

On the same day, Korda defeated Davidovich Fokina

January 08, 2025

Felix Auger-Aliassime achieved a dramatic qualification to the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International this Wednesday. In addition to coming back from 0-1 in sets for the first time this year, the Canadian saved break points in two games of the decisive set before achieving the break that gave him the 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over the Frenchman Arthur Cazaux.

The No. 29 in the PIF ATP Rankings saved break points at 2-2 and at 5-5 in the third set, just before breaking at 6-5 to take the duel in two hours and 33 minutes and the ticket to quarterfinals of the ATP 250 on fast courts. Felix now leads his Lexus ATP HeadToHead 2-0 with the Frenchman.

Despite winning fewer points in the match than his rival (91-92), the fifth seed was superior in moments of greater tension en route to his first tour-level quarterfinals since the ATP 250 in Antwerp last October.

Now he will seek his first semifinals since the Paris Olympic Games, and at the ATP Tour level since he was a finalist last April in Madrid. His obstacle to achieve this will be the American Marcos Giron, who has just defeated Denis Shapovalov with sets of 7-5, 6-2.

The 24-year-old Canadian leads the Lexus ATP HeadToHead 4-1 between them since winning the Olympic Games in straight sets.

In other results of the day, the American Sebastian Korda, who had not competed since the US Open, debuted with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against the Spanish Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The second seed saved all five break points he faced and broke his rival’s serve three times, against whom he now has a 3-0 record.

His next opponent will be the local guest and 2022 tournament champion, Thanasi Kokkinankis, a player who raises his level exponentially when playing at home. And he proved it this Wednesday, defeating No. 8 seed Tomás Martín Etcheverry 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) in three hours and two minutes.

The main favorite in Adelaide, Tommy Paul, did not fail in his first performance to head towards the quarterfinals, beating the French lucky loser Manuel Guinard 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in one hour and 51 minutes . The American will now face Australian Rinky Hijikata, who surprised No. 7 seed Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5).

Finally, the last quarterfinal match will be between Miomir Kecmanovic and Benjamin Bonzi, who defeated Christopher O’Connell (7-6[1]6-2) and Li Tu (6-3, 6-3), respectively.