ATP Murray River Open: Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniel Evans set title clash

The Melbourne River Open will inaugurate the new ATP champion on Sunday, as both Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniel Evans seek the first ATP title. The young Canadian is through to his seventh ATP final (0-6 so far) following a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Corentin Moutet in an hour. Felix fired 21 winners and 15 unforced errors and dropped only six points in eight service games, never facing a break point and mounting the pressure on the other side of the net. Moutet was far from those numbers, struggling behind the initial shot and suffering two breaks in each set to propel Auger-Aliassime over the top. The youngster held at love in the opening game with a forehand winner and repeated that with an ace two games later to open up a 2-1 advantage. Moutet got broken in game four and found himself 5-1 down after another break for Auger-Aliassime.

Serving for the set, Felix landed an ace down the T line in game seven for 6-1, hoping for more in set number two. From 2-1 down, Auger-Aliassime grabbed 20 of the last 24 points to march over the finish line. He broke Corentin in games five and seven (a backhand down the line winner) and sealed the deal with four winners at 5-2 to race over the top.

Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniel Evans will battle for Murray River Open title.

Daniel Evans joined him in the final after a similar performance against another Frenchman, beating Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-2 in an hour. The Briton controlled the pace with 14 winners and five unforced errors, dropping five points behind the initial shot and delivering four breaks to set the final clash against Felix on Sunday.

Chardy sprayed a forehand error in the first game to suffer a break before Evans confirmed the advantage with a service winner in game two. The Frenchman placed a forehand wide in the third game to fall even further behind, allowing the Briton to close the opener with a hold at 5-2. Daniel barely lost a point behind the serve in set number two and earned breaks in games one and five to move 4-1 ahead. Serving for the victory, Evans held at love in game eight to march over the finish line, hoping for more of the same in the title clash.

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