The Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime was merciless for the French Adrian Mannarino, 20th in the world. He won in two sets in 71 minutes.
Auger-Aliassime got off to a flying start in his match against Adrian Mannarino, landing a bicycle cartwheel in the first set in 24 minutes, en route to a 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Efficient in serving, Auger-Aliassime, 35th in the world, won 88% of rallies on his first ball and faced no break points.
Auger-Aliassime broke his opponent, aged 35, from the outset, for whom clay is not his preferred surface.
The Frenchman recovered somewhat in the second set and won his first two games with balls in hand. Auger-Aliassime, however, managed a fourth break to bring the score to 3-2.
Mannarino was never able to come back and the match ended in 71 minutes.
It was the Montrealer’s second victory over Mannarino in as many clashes.
Auger-Aliassime will face in the next round the winner of the match (which is in progress) between the Czech Jakub Mensik (74th) and the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (10th).
A second encouraging victory
Rafael Nadal did not waver against the Australian Alex de Minaur, 11th in the world. He beat him in Madrid on Saturday in two sets of 7-6 (8/6) and 6-3 in just over two hours.
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Rafael Nadal found great sensations in Madrid.
Photo : Getty Images / Clive Brunskill
We saw Nadal, still cautious, save a little on his serve. No aces and a success percentage of 73% on his first ball and 71% of points won on his first ball.
Encouraged by Zinédine Zidane and the King of Spain in the stands, the Spaniard did not miss his chances of breaking his opponent’s serve: three successful opportunities.
He emerged victorious from a marathon first round of 76 minutes. And this time he was able to continue his momentum, thanks to more extended shots in the exchange, which he had not been able to do in Barcelona.
The crowd, won over to his cause, shouted to him: Si se puede!”,”text”:”Si se puede!”}}”>Si se puede!, (Yes, you can do it)
The Spaniard is attempting a final return to form at almost 38 years old despite his bruised body. This victory will move him up the ATP rankings.
The last few months have been tough, Nadal said. At a few points I wondered if it was worth continuing. But I still wanted to experience beautiful sensations like those of today, especially at home. It was great.
It was Nadal’s fourth victory over the Australian in six meetings, but the first in their last three.
On April 17, upon his return to competition, Nadal lost to the Australian in the second round of the Barcelona tournament, 5-7 and 1-6.
There is room for improvement, but it means a lot to me to have been able to play a whole match, admitted Nadal. In Barcelona, I was only able to be competitive for one round. Today, I was able to stay there for more than two hours, and what’s more, I win.
Rafael Nadal will therefore be able to play another match on Spanish soil. He will face Argentinian Pedro Cachin, 91st in the world, in the next round. This will be their first confrontation.
One month before the French Open, this victory is likely to encourage him to buy his train ticket to Paris.
Tsitsipas beaten by someone stronger than him
Stefanos Tsitsipas, 7th in the world, was beaten from the start on Saturday in the second round of the ATP 1000 tournament in Madrid by the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro, 118th, 6-4 and 6-4.
Titled in Monte-Carlo and finalist in Barcelona, the Greek player stumbled on the first obstacle of his tournament, a player from qualifying.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas congratulates Thiago Monteiro.
Photo : Getty Images / Clive Brunskill
Thiago Monteiro won against all odds in two sets of 6-4.
Tsitsipas arrived in the Spanish capital with ten matches won out of eleven on clay in 2024. Only the Norwegian Casper Ruud managed to beat him in the final of the Barcelona tournament.
But in the gray Madrid on Saturday, Tsitsipas did not live up to his talent. Unable to find his rhythm, he missed out on the match, obtaining at the end of the second set an equalizing point at 5 all, his only break point of the game.
But his opponent held on and eliminated him on his fourth match point in one hour and 36 minutes.
My opponent was excellent today, reacted Tsitsipas, good loser. He made some superb shots and caught me every time I played too short.
Sinner without forcing
The Italian Jannik Sinner, No. 2 in the world, was incisive upon entering the tournament. He eliminated his Italian compatriot Lorenzo Sonego (52nd) in two sets of 6-0 and 6-3 in 69 minutes.
Sinner completed the first round in just 26 minutes. He didn’t linger much longer in the second and wasn’t faced with the slightest break point.
When you serve well here, it’s a huge weapon, he observed.
It was his 26th victory of the year 2024 in 28 matches.
For a place in the round of 16, Sinner will face the winner of the match between Australian Jordan Thompson (33rd) and Russian Pavel Kotov (72nd).
Other results of the day:
Second round (men’s singles):
- Sebastian Korda (USA/no 25) bat Max Purcell (AUS) 6-3, 6-3
- Daniil Medvedev (RUS/no 3) bat Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
- Pedro Cachín (ARG) bat Frances Tiafoe (USA/no 20) 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-4
- Jirí Lehecka (CZE/no 30) bat Hamad Medkedovic (SRB) 7-5, 6-4
With information from Agence France-Presse
2024-04-27 19:07:30
#Félix #AugerAliassime #wins #Madrid #Rafael #Nadal
