Felix Auger-Aliassime emerged victorious in an all-Montreal clash at the Swiss Indoors in Basel, defeating compatriot Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 7-5 on Wednesday. Auger-Aliassime, the fifth seed, showcased his prowess with eight aces and capitalized on four break points to secure the win. Despite Diallo matching his ace count, he struggled on second-serve points, only winning 35% of them.
Having previously clinched the Basel title in 2022 and 2023, Auger-Aliassime now sets his sights on Croatian qualifier Marin Cilic in the Round of 16 at the ATP 500 event scheduled for Thursday. Joining him in the next round is Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ont., who advanced with a hard-fought victory over American Marcos Giron on Tuesday.
Shapovalov is set to face off against France’s Valentin Royer on Thursday, a familiar opponent he defeated earlier this year at the U.S. Open. The Canadian duo continues to make waves in the tournament, showcasing their skills and determination on the court.