Felix Auger Aliassime overcame a slow start to edge past Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4 6-1 after 71 minutes reaching the second round at the Western and Southern Open in New York.
The young Canadian player started the match with an ace, but he hit three double faults to trail 0-2. Auger Aliassime came back to win three consecutive games from 0-2 down. The Canadian player broke back in the fourh game to draw level to 2-2 and held his serve after saving two break points in a 11-minute fifth game. Basilashvili earned another break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and came within one point of taking a 5-3 lead in the opening set. Auger Aliassime broke back for the second time to draw level to 4-4.
Auger Aliassime sealed the first set after two double faults from Basilashvili at 5-4 after 48 minutes.
Basilashvili made another double fault to drop his serve at 1-2 in the fourth game. Auger Aliassime won five consecutive games with a second break of serve in the sixth game to win the second set 6-1.
“It feels unbelievable, great to be back, even with no crowd. I had a terrible start but I managed to get back and started to play better and better. I think he struggled on serve more than the last time I played against him”,said Auger Aliassime.
Auger Aliassime, who reached two ATP finals in 2020 in Rotterdam and Marseille, will face either Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego or US Tennys Sandgren in the second round.
