PARIS — There will be one Canadian in the Roland Garros singles quarterfinals this year, after Leylah Fernandez edged out American Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in their fourth-round match Sunday.
Her fellow Montrealer Félix Auger-Aliassime came oh, so close to joining her in the men’s final eight, only to fall just short.
In an epic contest against 13-time champion Rafael Nadal that was arguably the best match of the 2022 tournament so far and the finest match of the 21-year-old Auger-Aliassime’s career — even in defeat — Nadal showed his champion’s mettle at the very end of the four-hour, 20-minute epic to squeeze through 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
For Fernandez, the opportunities abound in a decimated women’s singles draw that lost nine of its top 10 seeds in the first week.
Only world No. 1 Iga Swiatek remains. She’s in the other half, and the two could only meet in the final.
“It was a very hard match, an incredible match for the both of us. I think we brought a high level,” Fernandez said of the win over Anisimova.
The American was a women’s singles semifinalist at age 17, in 2019, the year 16-year-old Fernandez won the junior girls’ title.
Since then, their careers have gone in somewhat opposite directions.
“I'm just glad that today I was able to fight through some difficult moments and just enjoy the game as much as possible,” Fernandez added.
For the Montrealer now based in Florida, the next challenge will be No. 59 ranked Martina Trevisan.
Trevisan, a 28-year-old from Italy, was an improbable quarterfinalist in the 2020 edition of Roland Garros held before few fans, at the peak of the pandemic and in chilly October Paris weather.
“We don't have many lefthanders on tour, so I think it will be a tricky match, like every single match is going to be tricky,” Fernandez said. “We are just going to have to find solutions, just find a way to play against a left-hander.”
Fernandez is the first Canadian woman to make the Roland Garros quarterfinals since Eugenie Bouchard in 2014.
Auger-Aliassime was looking to be the first men’s quarterfinalist in Paris since Milos Raonic, also in 2014.
He threw the kitchen sink at Nadal tactically in that endeavour.
The Canadian served well — very well, for most of the match. He was aggressive with his forehand, used the drop shot and came into the net a lot.
On a number of occasions, his brilliance even was rewarded by a racquet clap of appreciation by Nadal.
And that level of play forced Nadal to raise his own. And there’s no doubt the 35-year-old will struggle to rev his aging, legendary machine back up when he faces world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“He was serving well in the fifth set, playing well behind the serve, being very aggressive. And I think he took it even higher, one step further, from 4-3,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Honestly, I didn't play a bad game. I did what I had to do. He was dictating, aggressive when he needed to and also defending really well on two points where I came to the net.
“Just a great game from him and then, again, he showed great composure at the end to serve for the match. I was still there trying to win, but he played really well.”
Auger-Aliassime kept his head up all the way — always believing, at least from the start of the fourth set after Nadal played a nearly untouchable level in the second and third sets, that he had a chance.
“He’s a great player, without a doubt — one of the best players of the world. Very young with a lot of power, great mobility. I think he did a lot of things well. He has been improving every year,” Nadal said. “He has a huge serve, puts a lot of pressure, and I was not able to push him back. So I’m very happy about (my) attitude at the end; I was able to play more aggressive, was able to go more often (to) the net.”
Afterwards, a subdued Auger-Aliassime felt as you would expect someone to feel who just went 12 rounds with Nadal on Court Philippe Chatrier to feel: pretty stiff.
“A lot of effort, a lot of concentration. At one point — even though he raised the level of his game — there were a few dips. Physically, mentally, and I lost my intentions at one point,” Auger-Aliassime said. “But despite everything, I managed to come back when necessary, to serve well again.”
A week ago, Auger-Aliassime’s big accomplishment at Roland Garros was to win a main-draw match for the first time in his career.
Reaching the fourth round and giving the 13-time champion everything he could handle for more than four hours was beyond most expectations.
Next for him is the grass, a surface on which — unlike the clay at Roland Garros — he has had a lot of success.
Auger-Aliassime’s first grass-court tournament is scheduled in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands in a week’s time. And if he recovers well, he intends to play it.
As for Fernandez, she still has work to do in Paris.
