Friday, March 26, 2021. 5:19 PM
(Update : Friday, March 26, 2021. 7:18 PM)
MIAMI – Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the third round of the Miami tournament.
Eleventh seed of the tournament, Auger-Aliassime beat Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in two sets of 6-4, 6-4 on Friday.
Auger-Aliassime, who had enjoyed a pass in the first round, won 81 percent of his points in the first serve compared to just 59 percent for Herbert.
The Quebecer reached the semi-finals of this event in 2019, the last time it was held.
“I have a good feeling at this tournament so it always helps,” he said. I found it to be a complex first game. Being ready for better or worse really prepared me mentally. “
Herbert, the 74th racket in the world, made it to the Marseille tournament final earlier in March. Auger-Aliassime has won two of his three career duels against the Frenchman.
Auger-Aliassime will now face the winner of the match between American Mackenzie McDonald and compatriot John Isner (no 18). Isner defeated the Quebecer in the semi-finals in Miami, in 2019.
Zverev eliminated in the second round
The German Alexander Zverev, seeded No. 3, was eliminated as soon as he entered the Miami Masters 1000, defeated by the Finnish Emil Ruusuvuori, 83rd in the world, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Zverev, who remained on a victory at the Acapulco tournament last week, his first title of the season, seemed to keep the right pace for this second round. Aggressive in the exchange, he took the opposing service three times and wandered in the first round.
Nothing then hinted at the surprise to come. But 21-year-old Ruusuvuori quickly ramped up as Zverev appeared to physically decline, running out of gas.
The young Finn will face the Swede Mikael Ymer in the round of 16, in a part of the table which at the same time cleared well for the world No. 2 and favorite Daniil Medvedev.
Medvedev, the No. 1 seed, took less than an hour to qualify for the third round against Taiwanese Lu Yen-Hsun, beaten in two sets (6-2, 6-2).
In the absence of Novak Djokovic who had dominated him a month ago in the final of the Australian Open, but also of Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer, Medvedev is the favorite in this first Masters 1000 of the season.
Against the veteran Taiwanese, 37, Medvedev, recent winner of the Marseille tournament, took 56 minutes to win, thanks in particular to 9 aces for a single double fault.
He will be opposed in the third round to the Australian Alexei Popyrin, winner of his side of the American Reilly Opelka (6-4, 6-2), seeded no.30.
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