Auger-Aliassime outlasts Italian qualifier in opening round of Paris Masters
3-set win over Gianluca Mager keeps Canadian in contention for ATP Finals berth
Felix Auger-Aliassime stayed in contention for a place at the ATP Finals by beating Italian qualifier Gianluca Mager 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 Tuesday in the first round of the Paris Masters.
The ninth-seeded Auger-Aliassime from Montreal hit two double-faults and sent a forehand wide to allow Mager to serve out the first set. But he evened the match when Mager double-faulted on set point in the second.
Auger-Aliassime then broke Mager twice in the third.
"I had difficulty with my pace at the beginning of the match. I didn't hit enough first serves so I had a bit of pressure on my second serve," Auger-Aliassime said. "I bounced back in the second set. I tried to find solutions in returns, changing my positions, varying my returns. And after returning so well, I created occasions and I won the second set and then I finished very well."
Qualifying for the ATP Finals would cap a good season for the 21-year-old Canadian, who reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime pulls out 3-set victory in Paris:
He also reached the final at the Murray River Open in Melbourne and the Stuttgart Open in Germany.
Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev and Matteo Berrettini have already qualified for the ATP Finals. Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner, Hubert Hurkacz and Cameron Norrie are among the players hoping to join the eight-man tournament.
American players Reilly Opelka, Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz also advanced to the second round, as did Karen Khachanov of Russia, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and James Duckworth of Australia.
Opelka, the runner-up in Toronto, hit 19 aces while beating Filip Krajinovic of Serbia 6-3, 7-6 (4), while Fritz defeated Lorenzo Sonego of Italy 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and Paul beat Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany 6-3, 6-4.
Nadal targets Abu Dhabi for return
Rafa Nadal is aiming to return from injury at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi next month before playing another tournament in his buildup to the Australian Open, the world No. 5 said.
Nadal struggled with back issues at the start of this year and pulled out of Wimbledon and Tokyo Olympics. He last competed in August at the Citi Open in Washington.
He announced ahead of the U.S. Open that the injury to his left foot would rule him out for the rest of the year but said on Monday he might return at the Dec. 16-18 Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event.
"My plan is to play Abu Dhabi in December and a tournament before playing the Australian Open. It is my goal and we are working hard to make it that way," Nadal said at a sponsor event in Paris.
"The injury in my foot still needs to get a little better, but I'm already training almost an hour and a half a day so that's positive."
Nadal will be bidding for a men's record 21st major title at the Australian Open, which is scheduled to start on Jan. 17.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has said no unvaccinated players would be permitted to play despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison telling local media they could compete but only after undergoing a 14-day quarantine.
Ailing Nishikori calls it a season
Japan's Kei Nishikori has ended his season due to a back injury, the former world No. 4 has said.
The 31-year-old, currently ranked 49th in the world, played at last month's ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, where he lost in the second round to Dan Evans.
In the leadup to the Indian Wells, Nishikori had pulled out of the ATP 250 event in San Diego just hours before his opening match against Britain's Andy Murray.
Nishikori then pulled out of an ATP 500 event in Vienna and the ongoing Paris Masters and also withdrew from next week's tournament in Stockholm before announcing his decision to end his season.
"I hurt my back some weeks ago before San Diego and it has continued to bother me," he said on Twitter.
"It's been a long year, coming back from injury and I look forward to off-season. "Also look forward to having a strong pre-season training to make 2022 a great year."
With files from Reuters
