The Canadian pulled off a five-set win over his Spanish opponent in a match that went the distance.
Felix Auger Aliassime is into the fourth round of the US Open after surviving a five-set win over the 18 seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 in a match that lasted three hours and 55 minutes.
The Canadian hit 77 winners and served 27 aces on a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium in front of a lot of loud Canadian fans.
“It was not easy and very tricky and I had to forget losing the third set and it was really frustrating because I felt like I was dominating the match and controlling the match and things turned around quickly and he started gaining confidence and he started being more solid than he was and I wasn’t serving as good so for the fifth set I told myself this it all or nothing and it paid off.”
The number 12 seed got off to a very good start to the match getting the first break to take a 3-1 lead and that one break was enough for him to serve out the first set and draw first blood.
The second set was more competitive with the Canadian pushing for the break but the Spaniard wasn’t going down without a fight and saved breakpoints early in the second set.
At 4-4, the world number 15 finally got the breakthrough getting a breakpoint and breaking serve with a massive forehand winner, and went on to serve out the second set.
The Montreal native kept the momentum going into the third set and got the early break to take a 2-1 lead this time with a return winner that caught the world number 21 off guard.
Unfortunately, the Canadian wasn’t able to consolidate the break and the Spaniard broke right back the following game and it stayed on serve until 5-4 and this time it was the 33-year-old who broke to take the third set.
The number 12 seed continued to push getting chances to break once again early in the fourth set but failed to convert and at 4-3, it was the Spaniard who got the crucial break and saved five break points before sealing the set.
The fifth and final set was a battle royale with the first three games going with serve before the Canadian had two chances to break but only needed one to take an early 3-1 lead.
At 4-2, the world number 15 saved three break points before holding serve, and at 5-3 was able to serve out the match.
After the match in his post-match on-court interview, Auger Aliassime was asked about the Australian Open when he was up two sets on Aslan Karatsev and ended up losing the match in five if he took anything or learned anything from that match.
“You know what happened in Australia happened against Zverev in Wimbledon also being up two sets to love but I managed to win that fifth set so I think remembering that match was good for me and it was good for my confidence and I think today I was just trying to stay focused and trying to stay calm but you never know because things could have gone either way and I am happy it went my way today.”
Auger Aliassime will now face Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round after the American beat the Russian Andrey Rublev in five sets in the last match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
