Felix Auger-Aliassime emerged victorious in an all-Montreal clash against compatriot Gabriel Diallo at the Swiss Indoors in Basel. The fifth seed dominated the match, serving eight aces and breaking Diallo four times to secure a 6-2, 7-5 win. Despite Diallo matching Auger-Aliassime’s ace count, he struggled to win just 35% of his second-serve points.
Auger-Aliassime, a two-time winner in Basel in 2022 and 2023, will now face Croatian qualifier Marin Cilic in the Round of 16 at the ATP 500 event on Thursday. He will be joined by Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., who advanced to the next round with a hard-fought victory over American Marcos Giron on Tuesday. Shapovalov is set to play against France’s Valentin Royer on Thursday, a player he defeated at the U.S. Open earlier this year.
In a separate event, Auger-Aliassime clinched the European Open title by defeating Jiri Lehecka in a thrilling encounter in Brussels. This marked his eighth ATP Tour title win, showcasing his impressive form in the tournament.
