Canada's Auger-Aliassime scores 2nd-round win at Dubai Tennis Championships
Chasing 3rd ATP title of season, Montreal native faces Croatia's Cilic in quarterfinals
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime rallied past Portugal's Nuno Borges 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Auger-Aliassime broke Borges late in the third set before sealing the win with his ninth ace.
The world No. 21 converted three of 10 break chances while saving four of six against him.
It was Auger-Aliassime's first career meeting with Borges, the world No. 38, on the ATP Tour.
Auger-Aliassime will next face Marin Cilic of Croatia, who defeated Australia's Alexei Popyrin 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
The 24-year-old Canadian is chasing his third ATP title this season, having won last month in Adelaide, Australia, and Montpellier, France.
Storming into the quarter-finals like a force of nature🌪️<a href="https://twitter.com/felixtennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@felixtennis</a> battles past Borges 4-6 6-3 7-5! See you in the quarter finals, eh? 🇨🇦<a href="https://twitter.com/DDFTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDFTennis</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DDFTennis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DDFTennis</a> <a href="https://t.co/H6UT5RBYic">pic.twitter.com/H6UT5RBYic</a>
—@atptourMedvedev reaches quarterfinals
Top-seeded Daniil Medvedev didn't have time to think about how to return Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's blazing serves Wednesday.
Medvedev, ranked No. 6, still reached the quarterfinals after a 6-4, 6-4 victory over the 21-year-old Frenchman.
The Russian player was asked about facing serves exceeding 230 kilometres per hour.
"You don't have any time so it's pure reflexes and sometimes it makes life even easier because as I say, you don't think much," Medvedev said in his on-court interview. "If you don't return it, you're not even disappointed. There were some second serves that I missed, and I was disappointed. You just try to do your best, and I managed pretty well today."
Medvedev, the Dubai champion in 2023, broke Mpetshi Perricard's serve once in each set. The Frenchman committed twice as many unforced errors (44) as winners and didn't create any break point opportunities.
Up next for Medvedev is Tallon Griekspoor, who advanced by beating defending champion Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Meddy in his zone 😤 🔒<a href="https://twitter.com/DaniilMedwed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DaniilMedwed</a> makes it three consecutive quarter-finals in Dubai, defeating Mpetshi Perricard 4⃣ and 4⃣<a href="https://twitter.com/DDFTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDFTennis</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DDFTennis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DDFTennis</a> <a href="https://t.co/iIDb7EHp2t">pic.twitter.com/iIDb7EHp2t</a>
—@atptourWimbledon champ out of Indian Wells
Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova has withdrawn from next month's tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami due to a back injury that has kept her out of action since November.
The world No. 16, a surprise champion at the All England Club last year, sustained the injury during the Tour's Asian swing of tournaments and appeared hampered by it at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, where she reached the semi-finals.
The 29-year-old Czech skipped the Australian Open Grand Slam in January, saying she needed more time for her injury to heal.
Austria's Julia Grabher will take Krejcikova's place in the main draw at Indian Wells, which begins on March 5, organizers said. The Miami tournament starts March 18.
With files from Reuters
