This is Auger-Aliassime’s first ATP tournament since late February when he reached the round of 16 of the Mexican Open. Rust from the layoff was apparent early, as Auger-Aliassime went down a break twice in the first set. He quickly found his rhythm, however, winning 11 of the last 12 points in the opening set before dominating the second set.
Auger-Aliassime anticipates a challenge in playing matches without fans. The U.S. Open announced in June it would not allow spectators. While he thinks the issue won’t be that apparent on smaller courts, he feels it might be an adjustment on more prominent courts. Prior to the restart, the 20-year old spent down time with his family back in Montreal before travelling to Monaco in May to train.
"It’ll depend on my results," Auger-Aliassime said. "If I feel tired or if I’ve played too many tournaments in a row, maybe I’ll skip one. But I’m fine to play almost every week until the end of the year."