Felix Auger-Aliassime will compete in his second US Open quarter-final. The Canadian is enjoying a great run in New York, beating Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 16 minutes for a place in the last eight.
Felix had enjoyed a terrible run at Majors after the 2022 Australian Open. He is finally back at his best in New York, playing at a high level and looking dangerous for every rival.
For the Russian, this is another Major without a spot in the quarter-final. Thus, Rublev failed to reach at least one Major quarter-final in a season for the first time since 2019.
Auger-Aliassime fired 13 aces and played better behind the first and second serve. He got broken once and turned 40% of the return points into four breaks from seven opportunities.
Both players had more winners than unforced errors, but Auger-Aliassime stood strong with a 42-33 ratio. The Russian attacked on the return in the third game of the duel and grabbed a break that sent him in front.
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Andrey held in game six for 4-2 before losing serve at love in game eight, bringing his rival back to the positive side. Felix made another push on the return at 6-5 and seized the fourth set point, wrapping up the first part of the duel in 53 minutes.
The Canadian saved two break points in the first game of the second set and served well in the remaining ones. He grabbed a break in the sixth game after the rival's backhand error, with Rublev smashing his racket in anger.
Auger-Aliassime served for the set at 5-3 and held at love with a service winner, moving two sets to love in front after an hour and 40 minutes. The lower-ranked player used that boost and provided a break in the first game of the third set.
Felix denied a break point in the fourth game with a backhand down the line winner and drew the rival's mistake for 3-1. The Canadian served well in the sixth game and closed the eighth at love with a powerful serve for 5-3.
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Andrey extended the battle with a hold at love in game nine, but that was the lastsaw from him in New York this year. Auger-Aliassime served for the win at 5-4 and painted a backhand down the line winner to seal the deal in style and move into the last eight.
