Top-seeded Alcaraz dispatches Canadian Auger-Aliassime from BNP Paribas Open

Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, returns a shot to Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Top-seed Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz dispatched Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime from the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Thursday night.

Alcaraz earned a straight-sets 6-4, 6-4 quarterfinal victory over Auger-Aliassime. The eighth-seeded Canadian came into the match having won all three of his previous meetings with Alcaraz, including one in Canada's upset win over Spain in the round-robin stage of last year's Davis Cup.

Auger-Aliassime was appearing in the quarterfinals of the Masters-level event for the first time. He advanced with a dramatic 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over Tommy Paul on Tuesday, overcoming six match points.

The Canadian fired six aces in the match but double-faulted six times. Alcaraz also has as many aces (two) as double faults.

But Alcaraz broke Auger-Aliassime three times in 12 opportunities., The Canadian converted one of his four break chances.

In women's doubles action, Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani lost their quarterfinal match 6-2, 7-6 (4) to Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia and Japan's Miyu Kato.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 17, 2023.