Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.
Auger-Aliassime moved on to the final of the Madrid Open clay-court tournament Friday after semifinal opponent Jiri Lehecka of Czechia retired due to injury with their match tied 3-3 in the first set.
Lehecka left court for treatment from a physio with what appeared to be back pain. He tried to continue playing, but withdrew three points later.
"I feel really bad for him," Auger-Aliassime said. "I've had injuries myself, and we can imagine how it feels to come out on a night like this, hoping to win to go through, having a battle with your opponent, and not being able to play. I have a lot of empathy for Jiri, and I can't do anything but try to prepare for Sunday."
Auger-Aliassime didn't even take the court in the quarterfinals when his opponent, top-seeded Jannik Sinner, withdrew from the tournament with a hip injury.
The 23-year-old Canadian also advanced by walkover in the third round when Jakub Mensik of Czechia retired from that match. Auger-Aliassime was leading 6-1, 1-0.
"It's crazy. I don't know if it's ever happened to a player before," said Auger-Aliassime. "It's kind of a weird situation to be in on my part. It's never happened to me in my career so far, a withdrawal or a walkover or retirement of this sort, and back-to-back like this."
When Auger-Aliassime has played in Madrid, he has looked good. He posted a convincing 6-4, 7-5 win over fifth-seed Casper Ruud of Norway on the fourth round and easily handled 19th-seed Adrian Mannarino of France 6-0, 6-4 in the second round.
Auger-Aliassime will face seventh-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev in Sunday's final. Rublev advances with a 6-4, 6-3 win over American Taylor Fritz on Friday.
Rublev is 4-1 against Auger-Aliassime over his career, including a win on their only meeting on clay at the 2018 Croatian Open.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
Remaining wrongful death lawsuit filed after deadly Astroworld concert has been settled, lawyer says
The one remaining wrongful death lawsuit filed after 10 people were killed during a deadly crowd crush at the 2021 Astroworld music festival has been settled, an attorney said Thursday.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
'I won't stop,' Celine Dion says in trailer for upcoming doc about her health woes
Celine Dion's fans are getting a first glimpse of the superstar's struggle with a rare neurological disorder in an emotional trailer for an upcoming documentary about her career and life.
Rapper Sean Kingston's home raided by SWAT; mother arrested on fraud and theft charges
A SWAT team raided rapper Sean Kingston's rented South Florida mansion on Thursday and arrested his mother on fraud and theft charges that an attorney says stem partly from the installation of a massive TV at the home.
Hidden risks: Why ultra-processed food may be hurting our brains
Ultra-processed foods are quick, convenient and hard to avoid, but there is growing evidence that eating these products can have an impact on brain health, leading to cognitive decline and stroke.