Australian Open 2021: Felix Auger-Aliassime upsets countryman Denis Shapovalov in straight-sets

In a battle between Canada’s most exciting tennis prodigies, Felix Auger-Aliassime has trounced 11th seed Denis Shapovalov in straight sets.

The 20-year-old completely outplayed his Shapovalov, hitting 31 winners to claim an enthralling match 7-5, 7-5, 6-3.

Auger-Aliassime progresses to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in his career in what is his first visit to the Australian Open.

Both players couldn’t be separated during the opening set, holding their serve before Auger-Aliassime secured the crucial break at 6-5 when Shapovalov committed an unforced error on his forehand.

He carried that momentum into the second set after Shapovalov surrendered his serve early, before again braeking in the 12 game hitting a powerful forehand winner.

From there ascendency was firmly in Auger-Aliassime’s favour.

He again clinched an early break with a poweful forehead forcing an error from Shapovalov in the second game.

Shapovalov pushed hard to reel himself in to the game, saving two break points to hang on in the third.

But Auger-Aliassime proved too strong and held on for the straight sets victory.

The loss for Shapovalov continues his poor record in Grand Slams.

Excluding a quarter final berth at last year’s US Open, a spot in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows in 2017 is the best the 21-year-old world No. 12 has managed.

While Aliasame will be hoping to reach the quarter finals for the first time in a Grand Slam when he faces Russian Aslan Karatsev in the fourth-round.