By Canadian Press

Auger-Aliassime, Shapovalov and Fernandez move into third round at French Open

May 30, 2024 | 11:24 AM

PARIS — Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov and Leylah Fernandez have advanced to the third round of the French Open.

Montreal’s Auger-Aliassime, the men’s No. 21 seed, defeated German qualifier Henri Squire 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in second-round action Thursday at the clay-court tennis Grand Slam.

Auger-Aliassime fired 12 aces in the match, including one to set up match point.

He took a commanding 4-1 lead in the fourth set with a break. After Squire broke in the following game, Auger-Aliassime restored his lead with his seventh break of the match then served out for the victory.

Auger-Aliassime will next face the winner of a match between Japan’s Kei Nishikori and 15th seed Ben Shelton of the United States.

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Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., rallied past No. 25 seed Frances Tiafoe of the United States 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

Shapovalov used an overpowering serve — he had 21 aces to Tiafoe’s one — and picked up a key break to go up 5-4 in the fourth set.

The Canadian will next face eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland. Hurkacz is 4-1 in his career against Shapovalov, with all five matches contested on hard court.

Both Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov had to wait out delays as rain in Paris continued to affect play on the outdoor courts at Roland-Garros.

Fernandez, seeded 31st in the women’s draw, downed China’s Xiyu Wang 6-3, 6-4.

The match was completed after being suspended Wednesday due to rain with Fernandez up 5-3.

Fernandez defended five of the six break points she faced while breaking Wang three times on five chances. The Canadian scored the only break of the second set to go up 4-3, then overcame double break point and break point to take the match.

Fernandez will next face eighth seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia. Jabeur has won all three of her previous matches against Fernandez, most recently at this year’s Madrid Open.

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., was scheduled to face No. 23 seed Anna Kalinskaya of Russia later Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2024.

The Canadian Press