Felix Auger-Aliassime, the runner-up in Rotterdam last week, maintained his fine form with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Egor Gerasimov in the Open 13 quarterfinals on Friday. Auger-Aliassime was broken just once on the only break point he faced and he earned four scalps of the Gerasimov serve. The 19-year-old Canadian advanced into a semifinal showdown against Gilles Simon after one hour and 38 minutes.
Auger-Aliassime may have expected a Saturday date with Daniil Medvedev, but that will not be the case. Medvedev is now 1-3 in his last four matches dating back to the Australian Open fourth round after getting blown out by Simon 6-4, 6-0 on Friday.
On the other side of the bracket, Alexander Bublik ousted Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Bublik double-faulted seven times but made up for it with 14 aces while advancing in two hours and 17 minutes.
“It was our first match,” the Kazakh commented, “but I’ve known him for a very long time. I was happy to break in the first set, then in the second set he was better. I had my chances in the third and I held on. So I’m very happy.”
Next up for Bublik is second-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, who halted Pospisil’s hot streak with a 7-5, 6-3 victory. Tsitsipas did not face a single break point and needed only one hour and 26 minutes to subdue the Montpellier runner-up.
“It wasn’t easy; I knew I’d have to fight and be dynamic,” the sixth-ranked Greek explained. “He plays a very aggressive brand of tennis, so every point has to be treated respectfully. I played with passion and patience, and my fighting spirit, when I’m in the right zone, means good things can happen.”
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close to crisis mode for Medvedev
Really. How did he lose that badly to Simon? Is he just “not in the mood”?
“Medvedev has now lost three matches in a row dating back to the Australian Open fourth round”
He beat Sinner earlier this week