Felix Auger-Aliassime has a history of raising his game at the US Open, and the sixth seed needed to do just that to hold off Swiss qualifier Alexander Ritschard in the first round at Flushing Meadows on Monday.
Auger-Aliassime prevailed 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in an absorbing encounter that featured some devastating baseline hitting from both players. Despite some inspired shotmaking from Ritschard, the Canadian was more clinical at big moments, converting four from eight break point opportunities to complete a hard-earned three-hour, four-minute win.
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The boys’ singles champion at Flushing Meadows in 2016, Auger-Aliassime reached his maiden Grand Slam semi-final in New York a year ago. He showed flashes of the game that powered that run against Ritschard, with some big serving and trademark heavy striking off his forehand wing. Those weapons were particularly effective under pressure, as the 22-year-old saved 10 from 12 break points he faced.
The sixth seed appeared in control after claiming the solitary break in both the first and second sets on Grandstand, where both he and Ritschard predominately tried to dictate proceedings from deep. Despite Ritschard’s clean hitting taking the Swiss to the third set, the 2021 semi-finalist accelerated to an unassailable 5-1 lead in the fourth as he improved to 37-20 for the 2022 season.
Auger-Aliassime, who lifted his maiden ATP Tour title in Rotterdam in February, currently sits sixth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. The Canadian will next face Finn Emil Ruusuvuori or #NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper as he hunts another deep run at Flushing Meadows to boost his chances of qualifying for November’s Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.
