Auger-Aliassime drops two tiebreakers in quarterfinal loss to Hurkacz in Halle

HALLE, Germany – Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime is out of the Halle Open grass tennis tournament after a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) loss to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Auger-Aliassime, the fourth seed from Montreal, had 21 aces to six for Hurkacz and hit 38 winners, 16 more than his opponent.

But in a match where both players did an excellent job holding serve — Auger-Aliassime did not face break point, and Hurkacz saved the only one he faced — Hurkacz made the most of his opportunities in the set tiebreakers.

Down 2-1 in the first tiebreaker, Hurkacz won six straight points to claim the set. The fifth seed form Poland didn’t trail in the second tiebreaker and forced four errors from Auger-Aliassime.

Hurkacz will next face Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, who beat Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022.