Auger-Aliassime digs deep for major comeback at Aussie Open

MELBOURNE, Australia –

Two sets into his delayed second-round singles match on Monday night, social media was abuzz with pending upset alerts.

It appeared, after uninspired 6-3, 6-3 setbacks, that sixth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal was going to become the second major upset of the 2023 Australian Open.

But Alex Molcan, the 25-year-old Slovakian singles star, sputtered and then collapsed, as Auger-Aliassime stormed back with spirited 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victories to avoid an early exit at Melbourne Park.

Auger-Aliassime, who struggled out of the gates in the first round before bouncing Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver in four sets, started even slower against Molcan, but appeared by the fourth set to have run his rival out of gas.

“I had belief in myself after winning the third set. I had come back before and I felt I could do it again. But boy, it was a difficult day,” said Auger-Aliassime, who finished with 23 aces in the match that took three hours and three minutes to complete.

Auger-Aliassime is set to face Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in the third round.

Meanwhile, Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., was a 6-3, 7-6, 7-5 winner over Japan’s Taro Daniel.

Shapovalov, seeded 20th at the tournament, fired eight aces to Daniel’s one and won 73 per cent of his first serves.

The Canadian also broke Daniel six times on nine attempts.

Shapovalov will next face either Hubert Hurkaczvs of Poland or Lorenzo Sonego of Italy.

All the matches on Monday night were delayed by four to seven hours due to heavy rains and slippery courts.

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ontario, who waited almost 6 1/2 hours to play, was ousted by Cristina Bucsa of Moldova 2-6, 7-6, 6-5.

Bucsa will meet the top-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland in the third round.

Montreal’s Leylah Fernandez is scheduled to meet No. 4 Carolina Garcia of France in a second-round match on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2023.