Felix Auger Aliassime is into another final at the Bett1 Hulks Indoors in Cologne after beating Roberto Bautista Agut in three tight sets 6-3, 1-6, and 6-3.
A fast start for the Canadian :
The Canadian and number three seed at the tournament got off to a very fast start holding his opening service game and going on the attack for that crucial break. It would come in the very next game as he would have two early break points but the Spanish number two seed would save both.
He would have a third and broke the Spaniard serve with an amazing passing shot to take an early 2-0 lead before holding serve to consolidate his break and jump out to a 3-0 lead. The 13th ranked player in the world would finally be able to hold serve and had chances to break in the very next game to go back on serve.
He broke as the Canadian would hit two unforced errors in a row and the Spaniard held serve to level the set at 3-3. After the Montreal native held serve he had breakpoints once again on the Spaniard next service game and got the lead again as he broke with a great forehand winner to take a 4-3 lead.
He had no issues holding serve and earned two set points with the number two seed serving to stay in the set, he would end up breaking serve again to take the first set 6-3 as Bautista Agut return went long.
The Spanish response :
The second was almost like the first except instead of the Canadian having opportunities for the early break it was the Spaniard who would hold the opening service game and had breakpoints the following game.
He would break and hold to take a 3-0 lead and the next two games would be held by both players on serve. At 4-1 the number two seed called for a medical timeout and the trainer was working on his foot. The injury didn't seem to phase him as the very next game he had more chances to break the Canadian serve and did when the number three seed would mishit a shot and the Spaniard was up 5-1 serving for the second set.
He would serve out the set to take it 6-1 and forcing a deciding third set.
The Final Chapter :
The beginning of the third set followed a similar pattern as the Canadian would hold serve and have chances to break and an early lead. He broke the Spaniards serve to take a 2-0 lead and that seemed like the crucial break.
The Spaniard had a chance to break back at 2-4 but the Montreal native did a good job saving it with a big serve. The rest of the match would go on serve and at 5-3 would serve it out to book his spot in tomorrow's final.
He will face Alexander Zverev in that final who has beaten him twice before.
" it's always difficult Sascha is such a great player, playing well, he has the level to beat any player in the world, he proved it many times so it's going to be a tough challenge, I'm totally up for it and excited for it"