Felix Auger-Aliassime from Montreal triumphed in a thrilling encounter, advancing to the quarterfinals of the European Open tennis tournament with a hard-fought 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur on Thursday.
Seeded second in Brussels, Auger-Aliassime showcased his dominance by delivering an impressive 22 aces, while Dzumhur managed to keep his serve intact throughout the match.
In a contest that left little room for mistakes, Dzumhur successfully defended against 13 break points, while converting both of his own, adding to the intensity of the match.
Auger-Aliassime seemed on the verge of a decisive breakthrough when he held double-break point in the critical 10th game of the third set. However, Dzumhur valiantly saved three match points, leveling the set at 5-5.
As the tension mounted, Dzumhur briefly led 4-3 in the final tiebreak, but Auger-Aliassime responded with confidence, clinching four out of the next five points to seal the match.
The remarkable 25-year-old, currently ranked 13th globally, is set to clash with American qualifier Eliot Spizzirri in the upcoming quarterfinals of this ATP 250 hardcourt event.
This marked the second showdown between Auger-Aliassime and Dzumhur at the ATP Tour level, the first being back in 2020, when Auger-Aliassime secured victory in Montpellier, France.
