Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was sidelined by a back injury during the National Bank Open in Montreal, showcased a strong recovery as he progressed to the Round of 16 at the Cincinnati Open. The 26-year-old tennis star from Montreal secured a victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina with a score of 7-5, 6-1 on Tuesday night.
In a swift one hour and 27-minute match against Cerundolo in the Round of 32, Auger-Aliassime displayed his prowess on the court. His next challenge will be against Frances Tiafoe, who triumphed over Learner Tien in an intense two-hour and 10-minute all-American clash.
Auger-Aliassime’s journey in the tournament began with a notable win against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-5. In his recent match against Cerundolo, Auger-Aliassime tallied six aces, five double faults, 22 unforced errors, and 19 winners. He managed to win three out of nine return games and held all nine of his service games.
Having withdrawn from the NBO due to the back injury sustained during pre-event training, Auger-Aliassime, who was the No. 2 seed at the Canadian tournament, is now back in action at the Cincinnati Open. Notable absentees at the NBO included World No. 1 and Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner, World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz recovering from a wrist injury, and Novak Djokovic, the record holder for Grand Slam titles, with 24 to his name.
