Auger-Aliassime's season comes to quick end as Salvatore Caruso surges into Sofia Open quarters
The Canadian Press | Posted: November 11, 2020 7:56 PM | Last Updated: November 11, 2020
Montreal native upset in straight sets, Pospisil remains sole Canadian in tourney
Felix Auger-Aliassime became the second highly seeded Canadian to make an early exit from the Sofia Open after falling to Italy's Salvatore Caruso in second-round action Wednesday.
Caruso, ranked 82nd in the world, beat Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-4 in a match that took around one hour 40 minutes to complete.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked 21st in the world and seeded second in Sofia, was the heavy favourite entering the match at the ATP 250 indoor hardcourt event. But the 20-year-old Montrealer failed to convert any of his six break point chances.
Caruso proved more opportunistic, converting two of his three chances on break point.
WATCH | Felix Auger-Aliassime falls to Salvatore Caruso at Sofia Open:
Caruso struggled with accuracy on his first serve, with only 44 per cent of them counting. But he didn't hit into a double fault, while Auger-Aliassime committed five. Caruso also made up for his problematic first serve by winning 62 per cent of second serve points.
Auger-Aliassime had seven aces, but was hurt by the double faults.
Auger-Aliassime finishes his 2020 season with a 23-19 record and three tournament final appearances.
Top-seed Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., was defeated in his second-round match on Tuesday.
Vancouver's Vasek Pospisil faces sixth-seed John Millman of Australia in a quarterfinal match Thursday.