'Ridiculous' call sends Felix Auger-Aliassime out of Cincinnati Open

Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime is out of the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament after losing 7-5, 4-6, 4-6 to Britain's Jack Draper in the third round on Friday.

Auger-Aliassime hit 12 aces but struggled with his serve and made 12 double faults in his second match of the day.

The Montreal native broke Draper in the first set and won 73 percent of his first serve points throughout the match.

The winning point was controversially called after Draper's volley appeared to bounce across the court and then over the net.

WATCH | Auger-Aliassime unhappy after 'ridiculous' decision on match point:

Auger-Aliassime unhappy after Draper triumphs on 'ridiculous' match point decision

Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime argues with the referee after Great Britain's Jack Draper's volley appears to bounce off the court before falling over the net. The referee rules that the ball went over the net without hitting the ground and Draper wins the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The play could not be reviewed because there is no review available for anything other than line-call challenges.

The referee ruled that the ball went over the net without touching the ground and Draper won the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The play could not be reviewed because there is no review available for anything other than line-call challenges.

Auger-Aliassime defeated Norway's Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-1 earlier on Friday in a rain-delayed fourth-round match.

WATCH | Auger-Aliassime sweeps Ruud off the floor and advances to the third round:

Montreal's Auger-Aliassime advances to Cincinnati Open

Flix Auger-Aliassime claimed his 50th ATP Masters 1000 victory on Friday by beating Norway's Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-1 at the Cincinnati Open.

In the women's singles, Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Quebec, defeated Russian Diana Shnaider 6-1, 6-4 in the third round.

Fernandez came back from a 4-1 deficit in the second set after play was stopped due to rain, wasting four of her 10 chances, hitting seven aces against six double faults.

WATCH | Fernandez beats Schnaider in straight sets:

Leylah Fernandez reaches third WTA 1000 quarterfinal with three-set win

Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., defeated Diana Shnaider of Russia 6-1, 6-4 in the third round of the Cincinnati Open. Fernandez secured her third WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance in her career.

Alcaraz suffers frustrating loss to Monfils

Carlos Alcaraz repeatedly smashed his racket on court on Friday in a rare display of frustration as the four-time Grand Slam winner lost to Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 at the Cincinnati Open.

In a match that was halted due to rain on Thursday night and which saw the players play a tiebreak in the second set, the 37-year-old Monfils advanced to the second set by winning the final two sets against the second-seeded Alcaraz, who called the loss his “worst match”.

Alcaraz's behavior during Friday afternoon's defeat against Gael Monfils.

During the third set, Alcaraz destroyed his racket by repeatedly smashing it on the court, a rare display of frustration for the four-time Grand Slam winner.

Alcaraz posted a message in Spanish on X on Saturday, saying that his attitude was not correct and that his actions should not have taken place on the pitch. The 21-year-old added that it is difficult to control yourself when your heart rate is high and that he will work to ensure that it does not happen again.

Alcaraz played his first match since winning silver at the Paris Olympics. He lost to Novak Djokovic, who also defeated him in the final of Cincinnati last year.

“I felt like it was the worst match I've ever played in my career,” Alcaraz said Friday. “I trained really well. I felt great. But I couldn't play. I want to forget about it and try to go to New York.”

The US Open starts on August 26 in New York.

Alcaraz played his first match since winning silver at the Paris Olympics. He lost to Novak Djokovic, who also defeated him in the final of Cincinnati last year.

Monfils returned to the court later on Friday and lost to 15th-seeded Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The top men who advanced included No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who easily defeated Jordan Thompson on his 23rd birthday, No. 3 Alex Zverev, No. 5 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 6 Andrey Rublev and 12th-ranked American Ben Shelton.

Swiatek reaches women's quarterfinals

In the women's event, top-seeded Iga Swiatek reached the quarterfinals with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory over Marta Kostyuk.

Swiatek bounced back with a more complete performance after losing the second-set tiebreak on Wednesday, but she managed to beat France's Varvara Gracheva.

No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka also advanced with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Elina Svitolina, but No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, the runner-up at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, lost to Mirra Andreeva 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated No. 7 and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen 7-5, 6-1. Spain's Paula Badosa defeated Yulia Putintseva, who defeated Coco Gauff, 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday.