Felix Auger-Aliassime ruined the homecoming of Carlos Alcaraz after fighting back to beat the world's newest top-ranked player 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2 to level Canada with Spain at 1-1 in the Davis Cup on Friday.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, returns a shot to Borna Coric, of Croatia, during the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in Mason, Ohio. -- Carlos Alcaraz's biggest fans had flocked to see the world's new top-ranked player in his homecoming to Spain.
As the pavilion roared for Alcaraz, Auger-Aliassime coolly responded by surgically placing shot after shot exactly where he wanted. He dominated on his serve with 16 aces and eventually broke Alcaraz late in the second set and twice in the third. Roberto Bautista gave Spain the first point after he fought back for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win against Vasek Pospisil.
Spain beat Serbia 3-0 on Wednesday while Alcaraz was resting after jetting home from New York where he won his first Grand Slam singles title on Sunday after a grueling run that included three consecutive five-set victories. Red and yellow flags were draped over railings at the pavilion, including one with the name of Alcaraz's home region, Murcia, painted in big black letters. Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast, is about 2 1/2 hours north of Alcaraz's hometown of El Palmar, population 24,000.
Unable to touch Auger-Aliassime's serve, Alcaraz summoned more cheers from the stands, which included his parents. He pumped his fist toward captain Sergi Bruguera and personal coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after hard-won points.