Auger-Aliassime ends German teens Engel’s historic run at Stuttgart Open
Justin Engel Falls to Felix Auger-Aliassime in Stuttgart Open Quarterfinals
Following his remarkable achievement of becoming the youngest tennis player in 40 years to reach a men’s tour quarterfinal on grass, Justin Engel’s run at the Stuttgart Open came to an end with a loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday. The 17-year-old German put up a valiant effort against former U.S. Open semifinalist Auger-Aliassime, but ultimately fell short with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat.
Auger-Aliassime, who will now face second-seeded Taylor Fritz in the semifinals, has maintained his impressive record of reaching the semifinals in all three of his appearances at the Stuttgart Open. The Canadian, who finished as the runner-up in 2019 and 2021, continues to showcase his talent on the grass courts.
Engel’s surprising victory over Alex Michelsen propelled him to the quarterfinals, solidifying his status as the youngest player to reach this stage in any tour-level men’s grass-court event since Boris Becker’s historic Wimbledon win as a 17-year-old in 1985. Additionally, Engel joined an elite group of players by becoming the second-youngest since 1990, after Rafael Nadal, to secure a win on all three surfaces—grass, clay, and hard-court—on the tour.
Canadian Gabriel Diallo Stuns No. 3 Seed at Libema Open
Meanwhile, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo delivered a remarkable performance at the grass-court Libema Open by upsetting the third-seeded Karen Khachanov of Russia in a thrilling encounter. Diallo’s powerful serve, highlighted by 19 aces, propelled him to a hard-fought 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-3 victory over the Russian.
The Canadian showcased his dominance by winning 74% of his first-serve points and successfully saving four out of five break chances. After claiming a tight tiebreak in the opening set, Khachanov responded with a break in the second set. However, Diallo regained control by securing an early break in the third set and never allowing Khachanov to threaten his serve again.
As a result of this impressive win, the 23-year-old is poised to break into the top 50 of the ATP rankings for the first time in his career, reaching a career-high position. Diallo’s next challenge will be against the second-seeded Ugo Humbert of France in the semifinals after Humbert defeated the seventh-seeded Nuno Borges of Portugal with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory.
