ThrowbackTimes Queen's: Felix Auger-Aliassime downs Stefanos Tsitsipas to become..

In the battle of the youngsters and Queen's debutants, the 8th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated the top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-2 in an hour and 38 minutes to reach the semis in 2019. An 18-year-old Canadian scored the second triumph of the season over the Greek after Indian Wells and advanced to the second ATP semi-final on grass from as many tournaments (Stuttgart in the previous week), making another big step towards the top-20 and the first ATP title. Auger-Aliassime fended off all seven break points, gathering momentum from a day ago following victories over Grigor Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios. The Canadian was a braver and more determined player than the Australian Open semi-finalist, firing 28 winners and 24 unforced errors. Taking 40% of the return points, Felix grabbed three breaks from five opportunities and did everything right to notch another impressive victory that made him the youngest semi-finalist at Queen's since Lleyton Hewitt in 1999!

Stefanos had his chances, but it wasn't his day at the prestigious event, squandering all seven break opportunities and failing to reach at least one tie break. Auger-Aliassime had the upper hand in the shortest rallies up to four strokes, hitting more service winners and creating more damage with the first groundstroke.

In 2019, Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Queen's QF.

The Canadian forced over 30 errors from the Greek, taming his strokes nicely and advancing into the last four. Playing against two break points in the encounter's third game, Felix stayed focused and repelled both with winners before holding with an ace to move 2-1 in front. Settling into a nice rhythm behind the initial shot, both players served well until the 12th game when Auger-Aliassime fired a forehand down the line to grab a break and the opening set after 51 minutes.

The Canadian landed a backhand down the line winner to fend off a break chance at the beginning of the second set, stealing Stefanos's serve for the second time in a row and holding with an ace to forge a 7-5, 3-0 advantage. During the break, Tsitsipas received a medical timeout on the right shoulder before finding the rhythm in the fifth game to earn four break chances, denied by Felix, who repelled them all to remain in front. Serving to stay in the match at 2-5, the Greek suffered another break following the Canadian's return winner. Thus, Auger-Aliassime became the third-youngest multiple ATP semi-finalist on grass after Pat Cash and Boris Becker. Felix Auger-Aliassime would lose to Feliciano Lopez in three sets in the semis, missing a chance to compete in the final as he did in Stuttgart.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3w0aORL