Canada’s Auger-Aliassime falls to Australia’s Popyrin in 2nd round of Italian Open | CBC Sports

Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has been ousted from the Italian Open after dropping a second-round match 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to Australian Alexei Popyrin on Friday.

Auger-Aliassime had a bye in the first round of the clay-court tournament, while Popyrin defeated his compatriot Christopher O’Connell after coming through the qualifying rounds.

WATCH | Auger-Aliassime loses to Popyrin:

Auger-Aliassime makes quick exit from Italian Open

Number 10 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal was upset by Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the second round of the Italian Open in Rome.

Popyrin, ranked 77th in the world, continued his momentum by upsetting No. 10 Auger-Aliassime in an exhausting three hour 17-minute battle.

Auger-Aliassime struggled with his serve, landing his first service only 61 per cent of the time. He also committed nine double faults and gave his opponent 16 break point opportunities, of which Popyrin converted three.

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada’s top doubles player, also experienced an early exit in Rome. Dabrowski and Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani, the tournament’s sixth-seeded team, were beaten 2-6, 6-2, 10-8 by American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Czechia’s Marie Bouzkova.

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., was scheduled to face Czechia’s Marketa Vondrousova later Friday in Rome.