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ATP: Félix Auger-Aliassime reaches the final of the Cologne tournament

Saturday, Oct 17, 2020. 12:16 PM
(Update : Saturday, Oct 17, 2020. 1:21 PM)

COLOGNE, Germany – Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the final of the indoor tournament in Cologne following a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win over Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, Saturday.

In the final, Auger-Aliassime will face the German and favorite Alexander Zverev. The 20-year-old Quebecer will try to get his hands on a first ATP title in his sixth career final, his third in 2020.

Auger-Aliassime, 22nd in the world ranking, needed an hour and 50 minutes to defeat 13th Bautista Agut. Bautista Agut had won their only previous encounter, in the Davis Cup final last year.

“It’s a great victory. It’s good for my confidence to beat Roberto, since he beat me last year in a difficult game,” said Auger-Aliassime.

Auger-Aliassime had a canonical start, even gaining 48% of the points on Bautista Agut’s service in the first inning.

“I think it’s one of the best sets of my career. Everything was working, noted Auger-Aliassime. The ball was going exactly where I wanted it, I was putting pressure, I felt really good. “

Bautista Agut suffered a break in service in the second game of the third set and Auger-Aliassime managed to maintain his advantage until the end.

Auger-Aliassime saved a break point at 4-2, then closed the books on his second chance in the last game of the game.

“It was more difficult in the second set, but I didn’t think I was playing badly and I continued to believe it,” said Auger-Aliassime. I was much better on serve in the third set than in the previous two sets and it helped me close the books. “

For his part, Zverev, seventh racket in the world, defeated Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5, 7-6 (3).

Zverev has 11 ATP titles to his name, including three indoors. He recently reached the final at the US Open, before losing to Austria’s Dominic Thiem.

Auger-Aliassime has lost his two previous duels against Zverev, on clay in Monte-Carlo and on hard court in Beijing, both times in 2019 and in two sets.

“I have trained with him a lot. I hope to be in a position to beat him (Sunday), said Auger-Aliassime. It will be a great battle.

“We are still early in our careers and I’m sure we will face each other many more times. This will be our first duel in the final and I hope it will not be our last. “

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