Canadian Tennis Sensation Advances to Round of 16 in Madrid Open

Madrid, April 29, 2024 – In a decisive victory, Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the fourth round of the prestigious Madrid Open tennis tournament. The 23-year-old Canadian secured a walkover after his Czech opponent, Jakub Mensik, retired from the match.

Auger-Aliassime, ranked 35th in the world, was off to a strong start, dominating the first set 6-1 and leading 1-0 in the second set when Mensik conceded defeat. The young Canadian showcased his prowess, winning 92% of his first-serve points and converting all three of his break point opportunities before Mensik’s retirement.

“The young Canadian showcased his prowess, winning 92% of his first-serve points and converting all three of his break point opportunities before Mensik’s retirement.”

The 18-year-old Mensik, who has had an impressive season, had previously upset ninth-seed Grigor Dimitrov and defeated former world number one Andy Murray and current number eight Andrey Rublev en route to reaching the final in Doha earlier this year. However, Mensik has been dealing with a right elbow injury, which he said had worsened since Indian Wells, where he lost in the second round.

Auger-Aliassime’s victory marks the first time he has advanced to the round of 16 at a Masters-level event since Indian Wells in 2023. The Canadian will next face fifth-seed Casper Ruud of Norway, who defeated Britain’s Cameron Norrie earlier in the day.

Ruud holds a 3-1 record in his four career meetings with Auger-Aliassime, with the most recent matchup coming at the 2022 ATP Finals, where Ruud emerged victorious.

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