Second seed Felix Auger Aliassime looks to have strengthened his position in the Race to Turin rankings with his 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(5) victory over Damil Dzumhur in the European Open Championships.
It was a tough day for many reasons, and you just have to fight and get through it Very satisfied Auger
As the score indicates, it was not an easy match for the Canadian who won the title in 2022 when it was staged in Antwerp before moving to Brussels this year.
He has now advanced to the quarter-finals after squandering three match points on the return at 5-4 in the third set, but ultimately advanced in the final tiebreak after battling for the privilege for two hours and 54 minutes.
“I feel better and better now that the match is over and I won,” said Auger-Aliassime. “It was a tough day for a lot of reasons, and you just have to fight and get through it. It was three hours, but a lot of fun.”
Auger Aliassime has rediscovered his form from two years ago and is looking to go to the ATP Finals in Turin next month for his second appearance there. He is currently 530 points behind Lorenzo Musetti, who is in eighth place. The Italian is the best seed in Brussels, so the gap could be closed or widened in the final.
Next for Auger-Aliassimei is the Dutch Botic van de Zandschulp or the American qualifier Eliot Apizzirri in the last eight.
Meanwhile, Musetti kept him informed by beating qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 7-6(3) 7-5, which was the only break point of the match for both players at 5-5 in the second set.
In the opening match of the day, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard advanced to the last eight after Nikoloz Basilashbili was forced to retire. The fifth-seeded Frenchman was leading Basilashvili 7-5 when play was stopped – he will next meet Musetti.
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