In an impressive turn of events, Canadian tennis sensation Félix Auger-Aliassime has secured his spot in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters, thanks to a walkover when his opponent Casper Ruud made the decision to retire.
At the time of the withdrawal, Auger-Aliassime was leading the match 7-5, 2-2, having just delivered his fourth ace to maintain an impressive service game.
This victory boosts Auger-Aliassime’s impressive season record to 17-6 and marks a significant achievement as he becomes the first Canadian to reach the quarterfinals of every ATP Masters tournament.
The Montreal native, currently seeded sixth in this clay-court showdown, will face a formidable challenge ahead against second seed Jannik Sinner.
Sinner, who had a slight hiccup but ultimately triumphed over Czech player Tomas Machac with a score of 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-3, heads into this match after a remarkable streak where he hadn’t dropped a set in his previous 18 Masters matches, snatching titles in Paris, Indian Wells, and Miami.
In their past encounters, Sinner holds a 4-2 advantage over Auger-Aliassime, with the Italian capturing all four victories during high-stakes matches last year, including the final at the Paris Masters and the semifinals of the U.S. Open.
