Auger-Aliassime through to semifinal in men’s tennis at Paris Olympics

PARIS –

Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of men’s tennis singles at the Paris Olympics.

The 23-year-old Canadian is now guaranteed to compete for a medal in both men’s singles and mixed doubles.

He is set to face Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated Tommy Paul of the U.S. in their quarterfinal 6-3, 7-6 (7), in Friday’s singles semifinal.

Ruud, a two-time French Open finalist, had won three of his five previous meetings with Auger-Aliassime. However, he had lost their most recent encounter on clay in Barcelona this spring.

In mixed doubles, Auger-Aliassime and Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski will play the Dutch duo of Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhof for a bronze medal on Friday. The Canadians dropped Thursday’s semifinal to the Czechia’s Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac 6-3, 6-3.

Canada has won only one Olympic tennis medal, when Sébastien Lareau and Daniel Nestor triumphed in men’s doubles at the 2000 Sydney Games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2024.