Auger-Aliassime Starts Strong at the Olympics

In a thrilling start to the Olympics, Félix Auger-Aliassime delivered a standout performance on the court at Roland-Garros in Paris. Facing off against the American Marcos Giron, Auger-Aliassime showcased his skills with a decisive win, finishing the match in just 65 minutes with a score of 6-1, 6-4.

The 13th seed, hailing from Quebec, controlled the match from start to finish, leaving Giron, who is ranked 38th in the world, struggling throughout. Giron couldn’t even manage to earn a single break point against Auger-Aliassime. However, the Canadian felt there was still room for improvement.

“No, there’s always room for improvement,” Auger-Aliassime noted in the mixed zone after the match. “My serve was very good, but I think I could have done more on my return of serve, especially in the second set.”

Right from the start, Auger-Aliassime was aggressive, showcasing heavy serves and precise shots. This allowed him to win the opening game without dropping a point.

At 2-1, he secured the first break of the match, aided by a double fault from Giron after a close call on a shot that went down the line. Auger-Aliassime confirmed the break without conceding a single point before breaking Giron’s serve again to clinch the first set.

In the second set, the Canadian took control again in the third game, sealing his third break of the match to lead 2-1, following the same formula of confirming the break to zero. Giron couldn’t regain his momentum and suffered another break, ending the match decisively.

Auger-Aliassime displayed all the tools in his arsenal: power, finesse, precision, and mental toughness. When his powerful strikes didn’t shake Giron, Auger-Aliassime cleverly engaged in long rallies, pushing his opponent mentally until he cracked under pressure.

<p“There was a nice variety in my game. It’s good to show off my strengths,” Auger-Aliassime said, eyeing the rest of the tournament. “I think I’ll keep this up moving forward.”

Should “FAA” maintain this level, he might benefit from a relatively open draw as he progresses in the tournament.

<p“They predict a lot of heat in the coming days. I would have been happy with a three-set win, but I’m glad to have only spent an hour and five minutes on the court,” he concluded.

<pMeanwhile, on court no. 11, Canadian Bianca Andreescu also triumphed in her opening match.

<p“I wanted to impose myself right from the start,” Andreescu shared. “Keeping in mind that we’re at the Olympics helped me. It’s such a rare opportunity, and my presence here was uncertain last year. Being here, healthy, is incredible, and I’m giving it my all on the court.”

The match turned on the strength of first serves, with Andreescu managing to land 62% of her first serves, winning an impressive 85% of those exchanges, compared to 51% and 67% for her Danish opponent, respectively.

Andreescu also capitalized on four of the six break points offered by her opponent, who only converted one of her own chances.

Later in the afternoon, local star Leylah Annie Fernandez will kick off her tournament against Czech player Karolina Muchova. The Quebecer is seeded 16th in the competition.

Ontarian Milos Raonic is also set to begin his campaign against German Dominik Köpfer.

Finally, Fernandez and Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski, the fifth seed in women’s doubles, are slated to close out the day’s matches against French players Clara Burel and Varvara Gracheva.