Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, celebrates winning a game over Adam Walton, of Australia, in their men's first round match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Auger-Aliassime beat Luca Nardi of Italy 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday, setting up a match against world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Rebecca Blackwell
ROQUEBRUNE-CAP-MARTIN, France – Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime beat Luca Nardi of Italy 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday, setting up a match against world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked 35th in the world, needed just 82 minutes to defeat the 20-year-old Nardi on the clay courts of Court Rainier III. It was the first-ever meeting between the two players.
Nardi, ranked 76th, committed four double faults, twice as many as Auger-Aliassime, and failed to convert any break points against the Canadian. Auger-Aliassime capitalized on three of seven break opportunities.
Auger-Aliassime also recorded 22 winners and only nine unforced errors on his way to the second round.
He sealed the match with his first match point and will face Alcaraz on Tuesday.
Auger-Aliassime holds a 3-2 career record against the Spaniard. However, Alcaraz has won their last two encounters, including one in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters in California last month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2024.
