Canadian tennis sensations Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov dazzled the crowd with a 6-3, 7-6 (8) victory over the Czech duo of Petr Nouza and Austria’s Neil Oberleitner in the opening round of men’s doubles on Wednesday at the Libema Open.
The dynamic pair unleashed a formidable 15 aces, skillfully countering Nouza and Oberleitner’s impressive service game, which boasted an 81 percent accuracy on first serves, winning 79 percent of those points.
Capitalizing on a rare opening, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov secured the sole break of the match in the first set, with their opponents only facing a break point once more throughout the encounter.
The Canadians showcased their defensive prowess by saving all six break points they confronted. Their next challenge will be against the Dutch team of Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarterfinals.
Montreal’s Auger-Aliassime, who typically focuses on singles, last paired with Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ontario, during the Halle Open last year, where they impressively reached the semifinals on grass.
These two athletes, who have journeyed through the junior circuit simultaneously, have often shared that their camaraderie off the court enhances their on-court chemistry, despite periodic gaps between their partnerships.
Ranked No. 4 globally and the top seed in the men’s draw, Auger-Aliassime is set to play his first singles match of the tournament on Thursday, facing Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in second-round action.
In another match, Shapovalov encountered a setback, losing his opening singles match against Croatia’s Marin Cilic earlier this week.
In women’s doubles, Mississauga’s Bianca Andreescu collaborates with France’s Lois Boisson to take on the Dutch tandem of Anouk Koevermans and Suzan Lamens.
