Posted May 12, 2023 1:51 PM ET
Updated May 12, 2023 4:47 PM ET
Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada returns the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Friday May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
ROME — Canada’s tennis hopes were dashed at Friday’s Italian Open when Felix Auger-Aliassime, Gabriela Dabrowski and Bianca Andreescu were all eliminated in what was a disappointing day for the Maple Leaf squad.
Montreal’s Auger-Aliassime was ousted after losing a second-round match 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin.
Auger-Aliassime had a bye in the first round of the clay court tournament while Popyrin defeated compatriot Christopher O’Connell after progressing through the qualifying rounds.
Popyrin, ranked No. 77 in the world, continued his momentum by defeating No. 10 Auger-Aliassime in an exhausting three-hour, 17-minute bout.
Auger-Aliassime struggled with his serve, landing his first serve just 61 percent of the time. He also committed nine double faults and gave his opponent 16 break point chances, three of which Popyrin converted.
Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and her Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani were upset in women’s doubles and lost 6-2, 6-2, 10-8. to the American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and the Czech Marie Bouzkova.
Dabrowski and Stefani finished sixth in the tournament.
The third Canadian to leave the tournament was Andreescu from Mississauga, who suffered a quick loss to Marketa Vondrousova. The Czech player scored a 6-0, 6-1 win in a game that lasted just 55 minutes.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on May 12, 2023.
“Gamer. Introvert. Problem solver. Creator. Thinker. Lifelong food evangelist. Alcohol advocate.”