Canada's Auger-Aliassime into Qatar Open quarterfinals, will face Russia's Medvedev

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada plays a forehand return to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain during their second-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

DOHA — Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open tennis tournament Wednesday when second-round opponent Hamad Medjedovic withdrew with a right leg injury.

Auger-Aliassime will next face Russia’s Daniil Medvedev on Thursday.

Medjedovic had advanced with a 7-6 (6), 5-7, 7-6 (5) upset of sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in first-round action Tuesday. The Serbian was in clear discomfort as he fought through the third-set tiebreak.

Auger-Aliassime also needed a third-set tiebreak in his first-round match, a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over French qualifier Quentin Halys.

Medvedev, ranked sixth on the ATP Tour, holds a commanding 7-1 head-to-head record versus Auger-Aliassime, but the Canadian won the most recent meeting in the round of 16 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Russian defeated Auger-Aliassime in the Qatar Open semifinals in 2023.

Auger-Aliassime, tanked 23rd in the world, is seeking his third ATP Tour title of the season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.