Auger-Aliassime, Fernandez doesn't win enough at United Cup

Leylah Annie Fernandez and Flix Auger-Aliassime both recorded impressive wins to earn their first singles victories of the new 2025 tennis season, but it wasn't enough for Team Canada to advance out of the group stage of the United Cup.

Canada opened the event with a win over Croatia, but a loss to the United States left the Canadians at the mercy of different results. They ultimately finished second in Group A and played their matches in Perth, Australia, which was not enough to advance to the knockout stages of the combined team event.

Fernandez starts the season with a bang against Croatia

In the words of her teammate Leylah Annie Fernandez was the MVP for Canada in their opening game against Croatia. She recorded an impressive singles victory over 2024 Olympic silver medalist and Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic, before drawing 2-1 with Auger-Aliassime in the doubles.

Fernandez was very strong in both matches and did not drop his serve in either match. In the opening singles match, the Canadian made her move late in both sets, breaking to take the first set and then scoring the break in the eighth game of the second, allowing Fernandez to serve a 6-4, 6-3. victory, her first of the 2025 season.

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Auger-Aliassime had a tougher start, suffering a heartbreaking three-set loss to Borna Coric. The Canadian won the first eight games of the match, taking the first set and getting a break in the second. He was five points away from victory when he served at 4-3, AD-40 in the second set, but Coric managed to turn the tide, break back and eventually win the match in three sets: 0-6, 6 -4. 6-4.

If Auger-Aliassime was shocked after letting his lead slip in the singles, he didn't show it in the doubles. Fernandez and Auger-Aliassime dominated the decider against Lucija Ciric Bagaric and Ivan Dodig, never facing a break point as they converted one of their own midway through each set to seal the tie for Canada with a 6-3, 6- 4 win.

Canada falls short against the US, despite Auger-Aliassime's upset

After his crushing defeat the previous day, Auger-Aliassime bounced back brilliantly in Canada's second group stage draw against the United States, upsetting world number 4 Taylor Fritz with a comeback win of his own.

The win was the only bright spot on the day for Canada, as the Americans ultimately won the tie 2-1.

Auger-Aliassime found himself on the other side of the same situation as his match against Coric, trailing by a set and breaking late in the second set against Fritz. The American served for the match at 5-4 in the second inning, but Auger-Aliassime was able to break. The Canadian won the last four games of the second set in a row to force a decider. One break midway through the third was enough for Auger-Aliassime to seal the deficit 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

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His victory over world No. 4 was Auger-Aliassime's biggest ranking victory since the 2022 ATP Finals, when he defeated world No. 2 Rafael Nadal. It was his seventh win against a Top 5 opponent.

Auger-Aliassime needed to win the men's singles match after Fernandez lost the opening match of the tie against WTA world No. 3 Coco Gauff in straight sets. In contrast to her opening match, in which she hit serve, the Canadian was under constant pressure against the fast American. De Lavalloise was broken twice in each set and defeated 6-3, 6-2.

The four singles players were back in contention to decide the doubles tie, which the Americans narrowly eliminated in two tight sets: 7-6(2), 7-5.

A win over the Americans would have secured Group A for Canada. However, their fate remained uncertain after the completion of their two bonds. Canada still could have won Group A, but the United States' victory over Chile on Tuesday clinched the group for the Americans. The top runner-up of the three groups playing in Perth also advanced to the quarterfinals, but Canada finished second of those teams behind China. As a result, Team Canada was eliminated from the group stage for the second time in two appearances at the United Cup.

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