Auger-Aliassime advances to second round at Qatar Open with win over Halys

DOHA — Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the second round of the Qatar Open tennis tournament with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over French qualifier Quentin Halys on Tuesday.

After both players held serve throughout the deciding set, Auger Aliassime pulled away in the tiebreaker and converted match point on return.

Halys took the first set when he broke Auger-Aliassime in the final game, but the Canadian scored a key break of his own early in the second set before coming back from double break point and clinching the set with an ace.

Both players displayed powerful serves, with Auger-Aliassime firing 13 aces and Halys responding with 12.

Auger-Aliassime improved to 2-0 against Halys after defeating the Frenchman last year in Marseille.

The world No. 23, who has already won two titles this season, will next face Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic at the ATP 500 event.

Medjedovic moved on with a 7-6 (6), 5-7, 7-6 (5) upset of sixth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2025.