Felix Auger-Aliassime receives Madrid wild card after brilliant Miami run
Ever since 2015 when he qualified for the main draw at Challenger at the age of 14, Felix Auger-Aliassime has been the milestone setter for 2000 generation and one of the most promising youngsters in the world. The Montreal native had a great run in 2018 despite an early setback, with a knee injury forcing him to miss January action, competing mostly on clay to master his game on the slowest surface and not risk any further knee troubles. Closing 2018 just outside the top-100, the youngster was ready for another assault in 2019 and he been one of the players of the season so far, playing in the first ATP final in Rio de Janeiro and reaching the semi-final at Miami Masters as a qualifier.
Felix delivered some mighty impressive tennis to become the third-youngest player in the last four at this level after Denis Shapovalov and Michael Chang, missing a chance to reach the final after wasting a break in both sets against John Isner. Entering five Masters 1000 tournaments so far, Felix has notched nine wins and will have the opportunity to improve that in Madrid, receiving a wild card at Mutua Open that will take place between May 6-12 at Caja Magica. Ranked 33rd after that brilliant result in Miami, this is one of the last invitations Felix would need in a career, forging his way towards the very top of the game and looking good to crack the top-20 by the end of the season.
Felix had already won seven ATP matches on clay this year and should be among the contenders for a noticeable result in Madrid too, already visiting the Caja Magica in 2015 when he helped Canada win the Junior Davis Cup together with Denis Shapovalov.
“I’d like to thank Feliciano López, and all the Mutua Madrid open team for inviting me to play in the tournament’s main draw,” said Auger-Aliassime. “I can’t wait to get back to Madrid. I have great memories of my junior career in the Caja Mágica, where I hope to produce some more magic.”
“Felix is an incredible player,” said Feliciano Lopez, the Director of the Mutua Madrid Open. “Everything he is doing at 18 years of age is astonishing. He has a spectacular future, with a practically limitless range of shots. He earned his invitation to play in the main draw through his results early this season. I’m sure he will do well. Last year we granted a wildcard to Stefanos Tsitsipas as a rising star. Now, he’s the top-10 player.”
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2HTMe0s
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