Felix Auger Aliassime got past his first-round match with a bit of a struggle as he beat the American Tennys Sandgren in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (8) in the first round of the Mexican Open.
The world No.18 hit 21 winners in the win while Sandgren produced 23 unforced errors. It was a far from simple encounter for the Canadian who lost a 5-3 lead in the second set and then failed to convert five match points in the tiebreaker before prevailing.
“At 4-2, 5-3 I feel like I’m dominating the match and he comes up with some lucky shots and some that were very risky,” Auger Aliassime said afterwards. “It went his way on those points because I had a chance to take a bigger lead and that’s what added a bit of tension, at 5-4 and in the tie-break there were nerves for sure but despite everything to find a way to win in two sets”
The Montreal native got off to a solid start after holding serve in the opening service game of the match. He managed to earn two break points on the Americans first service game of the set and broke to take an early 2-0 lead.
The lead didn’t last long as the world number 58 responded to break right back and the match went back on serve. The world No.18 had another chance to take the lead at 4-3 and once again broke to take a 5-3 lead. Closing out the first set with a massive serve.
He rode the momentum into the second set and identical to the first set Auger Aliassime broke to take a 2-0 once again. The Gallatin, TN native had a chance to break to back on serve much like the first set but this time the Canadian was able to save it and hold serve.
At 4-2 Auger Aliassime had a chance to go up a double break but the American came up huge saving break points with his forehand. With the world number 18 serving for the match you could sense nerves were starting to creep into his game and the world number 58 earned two more break points.
He would break and the second set would be decided by a tiebreaker that was basically a roller-coaster going back and forth between both players. The Canadian found himself up 3-0 and got up to 6-3 with three match points but the American hung in and saved all three with his big forehand.
From 6-6 each player traded points until 8-8 when the world number 18 got the crucial break and served out the match to take in straight sets.
After the match Auger Aliassime explained why he decided to take a couple weeks off after the big trip to Australia.
“What I did last year I probably won’t do it again, it was hard for me physically and I wasn’t able to play a complete tournament so this year I wanted to give myself a good start, prepare my schedule so I can play my best tennis possible,” he said.
He will next play American Sebastian Korda who defeated former US Open champion Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-2.
