Auger-Aliassime moves on in Miami, edging Monteiro in two tight sets

Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No 5 seed, needed two hours and 41 minutes to win an excruciatingly hard-fought battle with Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro, but he eventually got the job done, saving a set point in the second set to prevail, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday evening.

Auger-Aliassime has been a pillar of consistency at the Masters 1000 events, and he is bidding for his seventh consecutive Masters quarter-final this week in Miami.

Ranked No 6 and a semi-finalist at Miami in 2019, Auger-Aliassime will face Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, the No 25 seed, in the third round.

Auger-Aliassime – serve was the difference

“I was serving pretty good,” the Canadian said on court after his 12th victory of the season. “Considering the conditions, too, it was super windy, so to serve like this and to not face any break points today, that was a big key today.”

Auger-Aliassime won 37 of 43 first-serve points, and converted 25 of 37 second-serve points as well, but he could not shake free of Monteiro before a tiebreak in either set.

The Brazilian saved all five break points (two in the first and three in the second) he faced to keep it close.

“I felt a little bit better after the first set,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I felt I was giving myself chances, 15-40, 30-40. He came up with some great serves with some great shots every time – nothing to do there, just keep grinding, keep trying, keep moving forward and stay positive.

“That was the key today, just to stay strong mentally.”

Read also

Indian Wells: Auger-Aliassime saves SIX match points to beat Paul, plays Alcaraz as QF line-up set

Tennis Majors

Monteiro, ranked No 81, won against Australian Jason Kubler (6-4, 7-6 (6)) in the previous round of the Miami Open.

Miami Masters, other second-round results (Hard Rock Stadium, hard, USD 8.800.000, most recent results first):

• Roberto Carballes Baena vs. Daniil Medvedev
• Adrian Mannarino vs. Ben Shelton
• Karen Khachanov vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry
• Yosuke Watanuki vs. Frances Tiafoe
• Gregoire Barrere vs. Cameron Norrie
• Hubert Hurkacz vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
• Daniel Evans vs. Lorenzo Sonego: saturday
• Quentin Halys beat Alex De Minaur (15): 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8)
• Alex Molcan beat Yoshihito Nishioka (28): 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-2
• Mackenzie McDonald beat Matteo Berrettini (19): 7-6 (8), 7-6 (5)
• Cristian Garin (Q) beat Sebastian Baez (27): 7-6 (2), 6-3
• Jiri Lehecka beat Lorenzo Musetti (18): 6-4, 6-4
• Richard Gasquet vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas
• Francisco Cerundolo beat Aleksandar Kovacevic (LL): 6-4, 6-4
• Christopher Eubanks (Q) beat Borna Coric (17): 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
• Taro Daniel (WC) beat Alexander Zverev (13): 6-0, 6-4
• Holger Rune (7) beat Marton Fucsovics: 6-3, 7-5
• Casper Ruud (3) beat Ilya Ivashka: 6-2, 6-3
• Dusan Lajovic beat Maxime Cressy (30): 6-4, 7-6 (2)
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (20) beat Brandon Nakashima: 6-4, 7-6 (5)
• Grigor Dimitrov (21) beat Jan-Lennard Struff (Q): 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
• Carlos Alcaraz (1) beat Facundo Bagnis: 6-0, 6-2
• Miomir Kecmanovic (29) beat Ugo Humbert: 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3)
• Taylor Fritz (9) beat Emilio Nava (WC): 6-4, 6-1
• Tommy Paul (16) beat Marc-Andrea Huesler: 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
• Botic van de Zandschulp (26) beat Alexei Popyrin: 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2
• Diego Schwartzman (31) beat Yibing Wu: 7-6 (1), 6-1
• Jannik Sinner (10) beat Laslo Djere: 6-4, 6-2
• Andrey Rublev (6) beat J.J. Wolf: 7-6 (3), 6-4
• Emil Ruusuvuori beat Roberto Bautista Agut (22): 6-4, 7-6 (5)
• Denis Shapovalov (24) beat Guido Pella: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

Read also

‘This year I’m playing on the centre court – that’s the only difference’ – Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz on Miami return

Tennis Majors