ATP Murray River Open: Daniel Evans downs Felix Auger-Aliassime for ATP title No. 1

The 30-year-old Daniel Evans claimed the first ATP title at 30 in Melbourne, beating Felix Auger-Aliassime to conquer the Murray River Open. Evans ousted Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-3 in swift an hour and 17 minutes, adding 250 points to his tally and cracking the top-30 on Monday. Felix suffered the seventh consecutive loss in the ATP Finals, failing to win at least a set in any of his Tour-level title matches and producing another pale performance when he needed his best tennis. Serving well and mixing the rallies' pace superbly thanks to his slice, Evans landed 13 winners and 11 unforced errors. At the same time, the Canadian counted to over 30 mistakes, incapable of finding his range or changing the final course. Daniel lost 11 points on serve (almost half in the closing stages) and suffered only one break once he was already a set and two breaks up, taking nearly half of the return points on the other hand and earning five breaks from eight opportunities.

Felix held at 30 in the first game before Daniel landed an ace to level the score at 1-1. Both players held at love in games three and four to remain neck and neck, and Evans broke the servers' pace by taking four straight points on the return in game five, closing it with a forehand down the line winner for the first break of the match.

Daniel Evans defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime for his first ATP title.

The Briton held with a service winner to confirm the advantage and earned another break in game seven when the youngster sprayed a forehand error. Daniel forced Felix's error in game eight to wrap up the opener 6-2 in 31 minutes, looking determined to seal the deal in set number two.

Evans opened the set with three comfortable holds and a break in game three following Auger-Aliassime's backhand mistake. Barely losing a point behind the initial shot so far, Daniel held at 15 in game four to extend the advantage and painted a forehand crosscourt winner at 3-2 to remain ahead. Marching towards the finish line, Evans grabbed another break in game seven and served for the title a few moments later. In his first decent return game, Felix pulled one break back to prolong the encounter, only to suffer a break in the next game when Daniel landed a volley winner to celebrate his first ATP title.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3pZEsUZ