Félix Auger-Aliassime hits a return during a match against Luca Nardi at the Monte Carlo ATP Masters, on April 8.Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime beat Luca Nardi of Italy 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday, setting up a match against world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked 35th in the world, needed just 82 minutes to defeat the 20-year-old Nardi on the clay courts of Court Rainier III. It was the first-ever meeting between the two players. Nardi, ranked 76th, committed four double faults, twice as many as Auger-Aliassime, and failed to convert any break points against the Canadian. Auger-Aliassime capitalized on three of seven break opportunities.
Auger-Aliassime also recorded 22 winners and only nine unforced errors on his way to the second round.Auger-Aliassime holds a 3-2 career record against the Spaniard. However, Alcaraz has won their last two encounters, including one in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters in California last month.