(Lyon) Félix Auger-Aliassime reached the quarter-finals of the Lyon Tennis Open after beating Spaniard Pablo Llamas Ruiz 7-5, 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon.
Tournament favorite Auger-Aliassime took an hour and 27 minutes on French clay to overcome his opponent, 240e world racket. It was the first career match between the two tennis players.
The 22-year-old Quebecer will face Frenchman Arthur Fils in the quarterfinals.
The latter reached the round of 16 after his opponent, Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, was disqualified for smashing his racket against the referee’s chair. Ymer lost his temper as he challenged a referee’s decision that paved the way for Son’s service break, 112e in the world.
The Lyon Open is the last preparatory tournament for Auger-Aliassime before the start of the French Open on Sunday.
In fact, earlier on Wednesday, Canada’s Carol Zhao lost 6-4, 6-1 to Czech Sara Bejlek in the second round of qualifying in Paris.
Zhao, of Richmond Hills, Ont., was the final Maple Leaf representative in the French Open qualifying draw.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Carol Zhao
The day before, Ontario’s Katherine Sebov lost 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 to Croatian Petra Marcinko.
On the men’s side, Quebecer Gabriel Diallo lost 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the first round of qualifying on French clay against Kazakh Timofey Skatov.
Zhao was trying to join his compatriots Bianca Andreescu, Leylah Annie Fernandez, Rebecca Marino, Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov in the main draw of this second major tournament of the season.
Fernandez will date American Peyton Stearns, 69e world player, in the round of 16 of the Moroccan Open later today.
