Félix Auger-Aliassime is keeping Canada’s hopes for a tennis medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games alive.
After an easy victory against Germany’s Maximilian Marterer in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1 in the second round of the men’s singles tournament on Tuesday, the young Canadian star was up for his biggest Olympic challenge yet on Wednesday.
Facing fifth seed Daniel Medvedev, Auger-Aliassime (No. 19 on ATP rankings) won his first set 6-3 after a 30-minute rain delay at Roland Garros. However, the second set did not come so easily as it had to be settled via a dramatic tiebreak (7-6).
Auger-Aliassime was visibly elated once he clinched the match’s winning point.
Félix Auger-Aliassime's reaction says it all 🇨🇦
The Canadian is moving on in men's singles at #Paris2024 @TennisCanada pic.twitter.com/d0qHFul7Ck
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) July 31, 2024
Meanwhile, Medvedev, visibly frustrated by the loss, smashed his racket after shaking hands with the Montreal native he had previously beaten seven times.
Medvedev shook hands, then smashed his racket pic.twitter.com/XK78Q2e9l5
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) July 31, 2024
With a spot in the fourth round secured, another big win from the 23-year-old underdog could grant him a shot at claiming Canada’s first-ever medal for singles tennis at the Olympics.
Canada’s only medal in Olympic tennis came from a surprising victory by the men’s doubles team of Sébastien Lareau and Daniel Nestor, who beat the highly favoured Australian team in the 2000 Sydney games.
Tomorrow, Auger-Aliassime will play the winner of today’s match between Casper Ruud and Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinal in Paris.
Canada now has six total medals, two of each colour, at the 2024 Summer Games. That is good for ninth among all countries sorted by total medals, better than 196 other nations.
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