Auger-Aliassime survives windy finish for first win over Tsitsipas in four years, in his first match since Wimbledon
Felix Auger-Aliassime survived a windy late scare to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5 in his first match since Wimbledon, ending a four-year losing run against the Greek and moving past the back injury that cost him his home Masters 1000 event in Montreal.
Tsitsipas – Auger-Aliassime, Cincinnati 2026 | © Cincinnati Open
Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No. 2 seed, beat Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Sunday evening, his first match back since a quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon and his first win over Tsitsipas in four years.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 4, will next face Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who defeated seed No. 25 seed Arthur Rinderknech of France, after a 3h34 battle (4-6, 7-6, 7-6).
The finish was tighter than the scoreline suggested. Serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set, Auger-Aliassime was broken as the wind picked up, before breaking straight back to close it out 7-5. “It got really windy and the wind was kind of pushing against me, I had no power on my serve, so it was a tricky ending,” the Canadian said on court to ATP media.
“Luckily I was able to get the break back and serve it out better this time.” Asked whether recovering immediately after being broken reflected his mentality, he added: “If I get off balance by a break of serve, I’m in the wrong sport, so I try to stay tough and just fight.”
I’m physically ready, it was just bad timing. My back hurt for three days, and it was the wrong three days.
The win came weeks after Auger-Aliassime withdrew from his home Masters 1000 event in Montreal with a back injury. “It was a very unlucky Montreal,” he said. “My team and I had been putting in some great work since Wimbledon, the goal was to really build my fitness for the North American swing. I’m physically ready, it was just bad timing. My back hurt for three days, and it was the wrong three days.”
It was his 31st win of the season. Tsitsipas, ranked No. 53, had beaten Frenchman Valentin Royer 7-6 (4), 7-5 to reach the second round.
