Felix Auger-Aliassime faced a disappointing defeat in the second round of the men’s singles at the Italian Open in Rome. The 25-year-old Canadian player, seeded fourth in the tournament, was knocked out by Mariano Navone from Argentina in straight sets, with scores of 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (5). Auger-Aliassime struggled with a leg injury during the match, visibly hindered in his movement, especially during the second-set tiebreak.
Despite fighting off one match point, Auger-Aliassime couldn’t rally past Navone, who advanced to the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time. Auger-Aliassime, who received a bye in the first round, was the final Canadian player to exit the singles competition at the Italian Open.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Navone continued his impressive run in Rome without dropping a set. He previously defeated Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, in the opening round in straight sets.
