Felix Auger-Aliassime pulls off a miraculous comeback in Vienna - UBITENNIS
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Felix Auger-Aliassime pulls off a miraculous comeback in Vienna

The Canadian came from behind to beat the Britt in three sets and book his spot in the quarterfinals.

By Elias Laradi
3 Min Read
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN); Copyright: e-motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer, 28.10.2021
Die Fotos sind zur redaktionellen Verwendung für die mediale Ankündigung bzw. Berichterstattung über die Erste Bank Open 2021 in der Erste Bank Wiener Stadthalle freigegeben und stehen unter Angabe der Quelle und Urheberrechte (© e-motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer) ausschließlich für diesen Zweck honorarfrei zur Verfügung. The pictures have been approved for editorial use and are available free of charge if they are used for announcements and coverage in the press and media for the „Erste Bank Open 2021“ at the Erste Bank Wiener Stadthalle, quoting the source and copyright (© e-motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer).

Felix Auger-Aliassime is into the quarterfinals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna after beating world number 14 Cameron Norrie 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 in two hours and 36 minutes.

The sixth seed saved three match points during the rollercoaster encounter where he fired 13 aces and won 82% of his first-serve points. Initially Auger-Aliassime looked down and out after losing the first set but managed to turn the match around in the second set and book his spot in the final eight. It is the ninth time this season the Canadian has reached the quarter-final stage of a tournament.

” I thought I was giving too many free points and he was doing his thing being solid as he has been the last couple of months and I had it in my mind that I couldn’t go away easily but I’ll take it today and keep moving forward”. He said afterwards.

It was Norrie who got off to the better start and managed to break the Canadian to open the match and it stayed on serve until 4-2 when the he broke again and served out the first set.

The second set stayed on serve and it was decided by a tiebreak. Again Norrie jumped out to a 3-0 lead and found himself at 6-3 with three match points but couldn’t close. Auger-Aliassime stormed back by playing some incredible points to stay alive and managed to win the breaker 8-6.

The world number 12 kept the momentum going into the third set and had three chances to break in the first game but the Britt saved all three and managed to hold serve. It stayed on serve until 2-2 when the Canadian conjured up three more breakpoints and this time was able to get the crucial break of serve needed to serve out the match and complete the comeback.

“It was an important win to stay in the race (to Turin) and I know if I lost the match the odds were very tough for me to qualify,” he said. “It keeps me alive in the race but the road is still very long and I am the last guy in a decent position and I need to push and give everything”.

Auger Aliassime will now face Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals on Friday after the German beat Alex DeMinaur.

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