Second seed Felix Auger Aliassime battled past Damir Dzumhur 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) after 2 hours and 54 minutes at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open in Brussels.
Auger Aliassime hit 22 aces and earned 14 break points. Dzumhur saved 13 break points and converted both of her chances he earned during the match. The Canadian player won the Antwerp title in 2022. The European Open tournament has been relocated to Brussels this year.
Dzumhur saved two break points in both the fifth and seventh games in the first set en route to the tie-break. Auger Aliassime earned an early mini-break to open up a 2-0 lead. Dzumhur pulled back on serve to draw level to 2-2. Auger Aliassime won five of the next six points including two mini-breaks to seal the tie-break 7-3.
Dzumhur saved three break points in the fourth game to hold serve before breaking serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Auger Aliassime broke straight back to draw level to 3-3. Dzumhur earned a second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out on his second set point.
Auger Aliassime earned two break points in the 10th game of the third set. Dzumhur saved three match points to hold serve and tied the third set to 5-5. Dzumhur took a 4-3 lead in the decisive tie-break before Auger Aliassime won four of the next five points to win the tie-break 7-5. Auger Aliassime consolidated his 10thspot in the ATP Live Race to Turin with 2955 points.
Auger Aliassime has a 38-20 win-loss record this year
Auger Aliassime will face a quarter final clash against US qualifier Elliot Spizzirri, who beat Botic Van de Zandschlp 7-5 6-0.
“I am feeling good and better now the match is over and I won. It was a tough day for different reasons and you just have to fight and get through. It was three hours but a lot of fun”, said Auger Aliassime.
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti beat qualifier Yannik Hanfmann 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 becoming the seventh player to reach ten tour-level quarter finals. He is the third player to reach ten quarter finals at this tournament after Andreas Seppi in 2016 and Jannik Sinner in 2019 and 2021.
Musetti converted the only break point of the match at 5-5 in the second set. The Italian player hit six aces and won 84% of his first serve points.
Musetti set up a quarter final match against Giovanni Mpetchi Perricard, who advanced after his opponent Nikoloz Basilashvili was forced to withdraw after the Frenchman won the first set 7-5.
