Auger-Aliassime Triumphs Over Diallo in Intense Basel Tournament Matchup
Félix Auger-Aliassime secured a decisive victory over fellow Canadian Gabriel Diallo, winning 6-2, 7-5 in the first round of the indoor tournament in Basel, Switzerland, on Wednesday morning. This match marked the first career meeting between the two Quebecois players and lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Match Highlights
- Félix Auger-Aliassime: Fifth seed of the tournament, aiming for a third title after victories in 2022 and 2023.
- Gabriel Diallo: Participating in his first ATP match against Auger-Aliassime.
- Next Opponent: Auger-Aliassime will face Croatian Marin Cilic, currently ranked 89th in the world.
Game Breakdown
Auger-Aliassime started strongly, showing effective serving and aggressive returns. He broke Diallo’s serve in the third game to lead 2-1, then again in the seventh game to extend his advantage to 5-2. He concluded the first set with an ace at 40-15 after just 35 minutes.
The second set proved more challenging. After breaking Diallo in the first game, Diallo quickly equalized in the second. Auger-Aliassime demonstrated patience, breaking again in the 11th game to lead 6-5. He secured his victory with another strong service game.
Match Statistics
| Player | Aces | Double Faults | Breaks of Serve | Break Points Converted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Félix Auger-Aliassime | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4/12 |
| Gabriel Diallo | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1/4 |
Auger-Aliassime is striving to qualify for the ATP Finals, which adds to the significance of this win.
Other Tournament Updates
In other matches, Denis Shapovalov, the ninth seed, will face French qualifier Valentin Royer in the second round on Thursday.
In Tokyo, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and her doubles partner, American Sofia Kenin, reached the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles event. They defeated local favorites Miyu Kato and Makoto Ninomiya in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. They will next compete against Luisa Stefani from Brazil and Hungary’s Timea Babos.
Additionally, Canadian players Victoria Mboko and Bianca Andreescu are set to compete for a semi-final spot later Wednesday against Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Spain’s Cristina Bucsa. In singles, Mboko triumphed over Germany’s Eva Lys, ranked 50th in the world, with a strong performance of 6-1, 6-1.
