Crazy, crazy, crazy? Felix Auger-Aliassime and Pierre-Hugues Herbert offered an incredible show to the spectators at the Palais des Sports. It was on his 6th match point that the Canadian finally won in three sets 0/6 7/6 7/6. Because Pierre-Hugues Herbert fought like a lion against him. All the way to the end. But things had not started well for the Alsatian, who had conceded the first set without scoring a single game. " I started in an incredible waysaid Felix Auger-Aliassime. I couldn't have done better. But the good thing about him is that he hung in there, he didn't give up. "
P2H did even better than just holding, he played at a high level, which allowed him to take his opponent to the tie-break of the second set, thanks to some crazy shots, long backhand, tweener etc. The two players, who met a fortnight ago in Montpellier, were equally effective on the first ball. And it was on a winning volley, in the wake of an incredible tweener, that Herbert won the tie-break at one set to one.
The intensity does not diminish. In fact, another tiebreak awaits both players in the third set. And in a fiery atmosphere, Herbert will save a total of five match points in this match.
To the end of the suspense
In the final minutes of the match, the victory itself seemed unable to decide which way it would go. Herbert in turn had three chances to close out the match. But without success. And it is finally a double-fault from the Frenchman that gives the Canadian his sixth match point. Ace. No appeal.
Auger-Aliassime has qualified for the quarter-finals where he will face the winner of the match between David Goffin and Egor Gerasimov. "F2A" was hot, very hot indeed. He is savouring this victory, no doubt aware that it was a close call: " I felt that it was going to be hard, I was even surprised by the result of the first setconcluded Félix Auger-Aliassime. I tried to hold on mentally, I tried to put everything in place to win, but I don't even know if it came down to that. We served unbelievable, we made unbelievable points, it was just crazy! "
