Felix Auger Aliassime still has a chance to get out of the Green Group after beating Rafa Nadal in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 56 minutes at the ATP Finals in Turin.
The Montreal native fired 29 aces and served 15 aces in a match that continued to show how much he had grown to put on a true tennis clinic against the king of clay.
“I think it’s really cool,” Auger Aliassime said when asked what a younger version of him would think if someone had told him he was able to beat one of the best players in the world and all time.
“I honestly couldn’t dream of it or believe it and it proves how much of a champion he really is and an example even here at 36 battling guys in their young 20s serving big, moving well, and he is a great champion.”
The number one seed due to the withdrawal of another Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz had two chances to break the Canadian serve in the opening game but the number five seed shrugged it off and was able to hold serve.
At 4-3, the world number eight was able to grab the crucial break using his heavy forehand to control and dictate play and was able to serve out the first set.
The Canadian continued to ride the momentum in the second set and was able to get an early break of serve to take a 3-1 lead and that one break was enough for him to serve out the match.
After the match in his on-court interview, he was asked about the technical aspect of beating Nadal.
“I think I dealt with it really good compared to the first match and to have a first match to get used to the conditions, and the center court helped me a lot and I felt like my game was just better today.”
Auger Aliassime has now beaten the top 3 players in tennis after beating Roger Federer in Halle a couple of years ago, Novak Djokovic at the Laver Cup in September, and now Nadal at the ATP Finals.
The Canadian now has a record of 1-1 in the group and will play Taylor Fritz on Wednesday to see who will advance from the group, Nadal still has. a chance of advancing if Casper Ruud loses to Fritz later today.
