Teen makes smashing debut
Auger-Aliassime wins first main draw match, then pal Shapovalov joins him in advancing
Happy Birthday Felix.
With Canadians burning the Rogers Cup candle at both ends, four through to the second round.
Eighteen years old on Wednesday is Felix Auger-Aliassime — youngest participant at the Aviva Centre – and in lockstep with bestie ami, Denis Shapovalov, both victors in their opening matches Tuesday.
The long, lanky teenager, basking in the glow of centre court and clearly feeding off an enamored crowd, needed only one hour and 18 minutes to dispatch Frenchman Lucas Pouille, World No. 18.
Accomplished the upset with aplomb and panache.
“I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present,” he told the audience. “Merci, thank-you.”
Auger-Aliassime began this week ranked a career-high No. 133. On the heels of his doubles match loss with Shapovalov on Monday night, this was a sharp quick turnaround.
Started with a fury, breaking Pouille in the second game of the first set, then held his nerve to hold his serve, fighting off triple break point for a 3-0 lead. Broken again, serving for the set at 5-3, but rallied promptly for another break of his own, accompanied by a roar. The crowd roared right back.
Converted on a break in the second set and held serve thereafter, triumphing 6-4, 6-3, saving 5-of-6 break points while converting on 3-of-6 and firing five aces.
It was Auger-Aliassime’s second ever Rogers Cup match — he dropped his qualifier in Toronto two years ago, then missed Montreal last summer with a wrist injury.
Taking his place now, though, no time a-wasting, alongside top drawer compatriots Shapovalov, veteran Milos Raonic and Peter Polansky. Also, eager to prove that he’s on his own career arc, not necessarily walking in Shapovalov’s footsteps as a déjà vu Rogers breakout comer. It’s not like he needs any motivation, keeping abreast of his pal.
“I don’t think what he did last year had an impact on what I did today. In general, he’s a great role model for everyone, a good ambassador for Tennis Canada. First, he’s a good friend of mine. So obviously I was happy for him to win last year.
“But this year is a different story. For me, I have a different career.
“It’s a different year. Everything is different. For me, just getting that first win today was very important. It’s good for my confidence and hopefully I can keep going.”
A week ago, Auger-Aliassime came close to knocking off 20year-old Russian hotshot and defending champion Andrey Rublev at a tournament in Croatia. Instead, the youngest player in the ATP top-150 saved his first win against a Top-20 player for Toronto.
“It’s kind of a statement, you know, for me to win these matches, to prove to myself and others that I can compete with these guys. That I have the level to be there, to compete in the top 100.”
Shapovalov, top ranked Canadian at the moment, made swift work of another Frenchman, Jeremy Chardy, in the evening marquee match, 6-1, 6-4, showing off his signature Shapo style and a slightly tweaked serving motion, an adjustment applied my mom Tessa, subbing in as coach this week with Martin Laurendeau laid out on a bum back.
A nice platform for the Canadians to flash their stuff on home turf. Up next for Shapovalov, Wednesday, is Italian Fabio Fognini, while Auger-Aliassime gets Russian Daniil Medvedev.
The fluently bilingual AugerAliassime, by the way, explained whence that mouthful of a surname.
“So, my dad is an African immigrant. When my parents arrived in Montreal, I was born and they decided to give me both names. My dad insisted that my mom’s name was in there, just to give me, like Quebec recognition, you know?”
Even if sportscasters so frequently butcher it.
“I hear all kind of things in English, ‘Ogre’ is always present. ‘Alia-see-may’’, or whatever. It doesn’t really matter if people mispronounce. But, yeah, it’s ‘Au-shay Alia-sim’, for everyone in this room.’’
Get jiggy with it, Auger-Aliassime suggested.
“I’m planning on keeping it.”