Félix Auger-Aliassime Advances at Monte Carlo Masters
Québec’s Félix Auger-Aliassime made a strong start on the clay court, defeating Croatia’s Marin Čilić 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday. This victory marks Auger-Aliassime’s fourth consecutive win against Čilić, the 2014 US Open champion, bringing his career record against the Croatian to 4-3.
The sixth-seeded Canadian will now face Norway’s Casper Ruud (No. 9) in the third round. Auger-Aliassime holds a 4-3 career record against Ruud, having won their last three encounters – all in 2024.
“I’m feeling good,” Auger-Aliassime stated, as reported on the tournament website. “It’s nice to get a first win here; Monte Carlo has always been a difficult tournament for me in the past.”
He continued, “Coming back on clay after such a long break is always tough for me, and I feel like I’m playing better and better as I get to Madrid and Rome, although I hope to have a good run here as well.” Auger-Aliassime’s career record in the Monaco principality stands at 3-6.
A Cautious Start Leads to Dominance
Playing his first official match on clay since the French Open last year, Auger-Aliassime began cautiously, seeking his footing on the surface. This allowed Čilić to take risks and gain an early advantage. The first set saw a flurry of breaks – six in total – as both players battled for control. Fortunately for the Canadian, he found his rhythm in the tie-break, securing the set after an hour and 21 minutes.
Following the first set, Auger-Aliassime appeared to find his stride, much to Čilić’s dismay. He broke Čilić’s serve in the fourth game of the second set to take a 3-1 lead, consolidating the break in the following game. He ultimately closed out the match four games later, converting his first match point when Čilić sent a return outside the court lines.
The Canadian concluded the match in two hours and one minute, with three aces, 21 winners, and four breaks in seven attempts. He also committed 24 unforced errors and one double fault.
Canadian Representation at Monte Carlo
Auger-Aliassime is now the last Canadian remaining in the Monte Carlo tournament, as compatriots Gabriel Diallo and Denis Shapovalov were eliminated in the first round on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Germany’s Alexander Zverev (No. 3), Czechs Jiri Lehečka (No. 11) and Tomas Machac, Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, and local favourite Valentin Vacherot also secured victories on Wednesday.
Dramatic Upsets and a Stunning Display
However, there were also some surprises. Andrey Rublev (No. 13) was upset 6-4, 6-1 by Belgium’s Zizou Bergs. Even more dramatically, former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev suffered a complete meltdown, smashing his racket repeatedly against the clay court and throwing the broken frame into a trash bin before losing 6-0, 6-0 to Matteo Berrettini.
Medvedev, currently ranked 10th, received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct and faces a potential fine for his actions. Berrettini’s victory was a dominant one, becoming only the fifth player since 1973 to achieve a “double bagel” (6-0, 6-0) against a top-10 opponent. The last time this occurred was a decade ago when David Goffin defeated Tomas Berdych.
“I didn’t expect to win like this, and it doesn’t happen often,” Berrettini admitted.
Source: La Presse
