World No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime said Rafael Nadal raised his level when it mattered the most and that ultimately decided the winner of their French Open last-16 match.
On Sunday, Nadal overcame Auger-Aliassime in five sets 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 to progress into the quarterfinal at Roland Garros.
Auger-Aliassime competed extremely well against record 13-time French Open champion Nadal but in the end fell short after just less than four and a half hours of play.
Nadal claimed the lone break of the fifth set in the eighth game and served out for the match in the following game.
“He raised his level when he needed to. We were, he was serving well in the fifth set, playing well behind the serve, being very aggressive, and I think he took it even higher, one step further, from 4-3,” Auger-Aliassime said, per Tennis Now.
Auger-Aliassime failed to deliver in the key moments
The two players were tied at one game apiece in the first set, before Auger-Aliassime claimed back-to-back breaks and won four games in a row to open a comfortable 5-1 lead.
Down by two breaks, Nadal refused to quit and he got one break back and cut the deficit to 4-5.
Auger-Aliassime failed to serve out for the first set in his first set but made no mistake in his second attempt in the 10th game.
After losing the first set, Nadal bounced back in the second set as he broke Auger-Aliassime in the eighth game and served out for set in the following game.
In the third set, Nadal gave no chance to Auger-Aliassime as he broke the Canadian twice to easily win the set.
After winning the second and third set, Nadal made a slow start to the fourth as he got broken twice early.
Auger-Aliassime lost his serve once in the fourth set but broke Nadal twice as the match went into a decider.
Auger-Aliassime saved two break points in the second game of the fifth set but couldn’t save another in the eighth game as Nadal opened a 5-3 lead.
In the ninth game, Nadal served out for the match.