Felix Auger-Aliassime, who recently had to sit out the National Bank Open due to a back injury, is showing signs of recovery. The 26-year-old tennis player from Montreal progressed to the Round of 16 at the Cincinnati Open by defeating Juan Manuel Cerundolo from Argentina with a score of 7-5, 6-1 on Tuesday evening.
In a match lasting one hour and 27 minutes, Auger-Aliassime emerged victorious against Cerundolo in the Round of 32 singles encounter. His next opponent will be Frances Tiafoe, who secured a win over Learner Tien in a lengthy all-American battle that lasted two hours and 10 minutes on the same night.
Auger-Aliassime’s journey at the Cincinnati Open began with a win against Stefanos Tsitsipas from Greece, with a score of 6-3, 7-5. During his match against Cerundolo, Auger-Aliassime showcased six aces, five double faults, 22 unforced errors, and 19 winners. He managed to break Cerundolo’s serve three out of nine times and held his own serve in all nine games.
Having withdrawn from the NBO tournament in Montreal due to a back injury sustained during training, Auger-Aliassime was the second seed in the competition. Notable absentees from the NBO included World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who prioritized his health, World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz recovering from a wrist injury, and Novak Djokovic, the record holder for male Grand Slam titles, also opting out.
