Felix Auger-Aliassime continues to really feel proper at dwelling on indoor arduous courts, even far-off from his native Montreal.
The 2022 champion and World No. 6, who leads all gamers in indoor wins this decade (91), stretched his successful streak to 6 and reached his fourth profession Rotterdam quarterfinal (2020, 2022–23, 2026) with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic.
The 25-year-old, who efficiently defended his title at Montpellier final week, gained 36 of 60 baseline factors and captured seven of 9 factors on the web as he improved to 7-2 on the season. He’ll face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor subsequent.
Auger-Aliassime has been damaged solely as soon as throughout his six-match successful streak, and he saved the one break level he confronted towards Medjedovic on Thursday.
“He hits big,” Auger-Aliassime stated of the Serbian. “All in all, it was an incredible efficiency to get out of this match in straight units—I felt like he was the higher participant at instances within the second set.”
Auger-Aliassime managed a break in every set, together with one at 4-4 within the second the place he rallied from 40-0 down to interrupt for 5-4. He gained 9 of the ultimate 11 factors to place the match to mattress in 90 minutes.
Elsewhere on a busy Thursday in Rotterdam, top-seeded Alex de Minaur pushed previous 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 6-2, whereas Botic van de Zandschulp topped Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Former champion Wawrinka performed his final match in Rotterdam.
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“He’s a legend; he’s an icon,” De Minaur stated. “What he has been capable of obtain on the courtroom within the Massive 3/Massive 4 period was nothing wanting unimaginable. To have the ability to hit these guys off the courtroom the best way he did was actually magical to look at as a fan of the game.
“Not solely is he a legend on the courtroom, he’s additionally a legend off the courtroom. I’ve had numerous coaching classes with him after I was youthful and he handled me with nothing however probably the most respect—he’s an unimaginable human being.”
With the win, De Minaur joins Roger Federer because the second participant to achieve 5 consecutive quarterfinals in Rotterdam.
Van de Zandschulp and De Minaur will meet within the quarterfinals on Friday.
Jaume Munar battled previous fifth-seeded Karen Khachanov, 7-6(8), 3-6, 6-3.
