Felix Auger-Aliassime plays redline tennis in stunning United Cup comeback against Taylor Fritz | ATP tour

Match report

Felix plays redline tennis in a stunning United Cup comeback against Fritz

The mixed doubles rubber will decide the Group A tie

December 29, 2024

Felix Auger-Aliassime pulled off an epic comeback win in the United Cup in Perth on Sunday to keep Canada alive in their Group A clash with the US.

Trailing by a set and a break, the 24-year-old came up with some redline tennis to sink Taylor Fritz 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 and send the tie to a live mixed doubles match. Having failed to break Fritz's serve in the seven sets they had contested entering the second, Auger-Aliassime struck twice in two games from 4-5 down, breathing life into the crowd in the RAC Arena brought.

“It's been a crazy night of tennis so far, it's not over yet,” Auger-Aliassime said, referring to the decisive mixed doubles match still to come.

“I started slow in my first service game, but after that it was really high level, also from Taylor. It was just a matter of tactically finding ways, changing my positions on the return. I decided to get closer and dictate from the first shot and it worked perfectly. From that moment on the game turned in my favor.”

Auger-Aliassime will now team up with Leylah Fernandez in an attempt to seal a memorable victory for Canada. If they can beat Fritz and Coco Gauff, they will qualify for the quarterfinals.

Fritz showed few signs of rust in the opening set of his 2025 season as he grabbed an early break before racing into the lead. The reigning US Open and Nitto ATP Finals number two looked to be getting closer to the rubber when he served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, but Auger-Aliassime found a final burst of energy that lifted hopes of a victory raised. comeback.

The Canadian, who had failed to break Fritz's serve in the previous seven sets they contested, struck twice in two games to stun the American. Auger-Aliassime brought life to the crowd at the RAC Arena and ignited some of the sparkling tennis that took him to sixth in the world rankings in 2022. His two-hour, seventeen-minute victory was in stark contrast to his opening round clash, in which he fell. Borna Coric after a set lead and 4-2.

Gauff earlier picked up where she left off last season, beating Fernandez 6-3, 6-2 to give the US a 1-0 lead. In the first career meeting between the two young stars, the world number 3 and WTA Finals champion unleashed her power and speed to secure a physical victory.

“I'm super happy with how I played and super happy to put a point on the board for my team,” said Gauff. “I knew I would have to run a lot. Leylah can hit crazy angles, so I just did my best to shoot it the best I could.”

Gauff's coverage on the field, the counter-punching and the growing confidence in her power play on the baseline proved to be too much for the also attacking Fernandez. The 31st-ranked Canadian opened her United Cup with a victory over Croatian Donna Vekic on Day 1.

After a few long service games to open the match, Gauff broke the match open with a service break and led 2-1. With Gauff at 3-2, Fernandez served her first break opportunities to level the set. But trailing 15-40, Gauff unleashed an outrageous display of speed to wipe out the Canadian's hopes of a comeback and then closed the set confidently, aided by a 92 percent winning percentage (11 of 12) behind her first . serve.

Gauff continued her march to build a 3-0 lead in the second set, protecting her lead to seal the victory after 1 hour and 36 minutes. The 20-year-old was unbroken on the night, losing just four points behind her first serve (27 of 31) and saving the two break points she faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.