The Monte-Carlo Masters has seen Félix Auger-Aliassime emerge victorious in his opening match on clay, defeating Croatian player Marin Cilic. The match took place on Wednesday, with Auger-Aliassime winning in straight sets, 7-6(4), 6-3. As the sixth seed, he now holds a career record of 4-3 against the former U.S. Open champion from 2014, having won their last four encounters.
Félix Auger-Aliassime Advances to Third Round
Next up, Auger-Aliassime will face Norway’s Casper Ruud, the ninth seed. Ruud secured his spot in the third round by defeating France’s Corentin Moutet with a score of 7-5, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime has a similar career record against Ruud, standing at 4-3, and he has won their last three meetings in 2024.
Game Highlights
Auger-Aliassime expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I feel good. It’s nice to secure a first victory here; Monte-Carlo has always been tough for me.” He acknowledged the challenges of returning to clay after a lengthy hiatus and hoped to continue improving as the tournament progresses.
The match was tightly contested, particularly in the first set, which featured six breaks of serve. Auger-Aliassime took the first set after an intense tiebreak that lasted over an hour. He gained momentum in the second set, breaking Cilic’s serve and consolidating his lead to ultimately close out the match in two hours and one minute. He recorded three aces, 21 winners, and four break points converted, despite committing 24 unforced errors and one double fault.
Other Tournament Updates
- Auger-Aliassime is the only Canadian remaining in the tournament.
- Other notable results included Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka, and Matteo Berrettini securing wins.
- Daniil Medvedev suffered a shocking defeat, losing 6-0, 6-0 to Berrettini, breaking his racket in frustration.
This year’s Monte-Carlo Masters has seen unexpected results, including the performance of Medvedev, who became the first top-10 player to lose by a “double bagel” in a decade. The competition continues to present thrilling matches as players vie for one of tennis’s prestigious titles.
