Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime is through to the Australian Open quarterfinals following a tough win over Marin Cilic in the fourth round Monday.
The 21-year-old, the No. 9 men's seed, prevailed 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2, 7-6(4) in a little over 3 1/2 hours in hot conditions in Melbourne.
Cilic appeared to have the better of Auger-Aliassime through the opening stages, capitalizing on two break-point opportunities to take the first set.
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Auger-Aliassime fought his way back in the second and had chances to take the set on the Croatian veteran's serve but couldn't get the break. The set went to a tie-break, which he took 9-7.
As Auger-Aliassime grew in confidence in the third, Cilic threatened to lose his head at times, arguing with both the chair umpire and those in his player's box.
After having played so well against fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev in the third round, the 2014 U.S. Open champ looked vulnerable and Auger-Aliassime was keen to keep the pressure on.
The Montreal native's serve proved to be a key weapon in Sets 3 and 4; he dropped just two points on made first serves in the final frame.
Fittingly, he served out the match with an ace, his 22nd of the contest.
Auger-Aliassime said after the match that he was pleased to come out on top after Cilic had the early momentum.
"He was hitting so clean at the start of the match. I played one poor game at 4-2 but the rest of the set I think he was just playing better than me," he said.
"The second was tight, it could have gone either way, 9-7 in the tie-break, of course I had chances before but that was a crucial turnaround.
"You can't afford to go [down] two sets to love, it would have been tough.
"In the third I started feeling better and better. I enjoyed myself on the court, really I did."
Auger-Aliassime now faces a stern test in Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals. The Russian has won all three of their previous meetings.
Medvedev overcame American Maxime Cressy in a four-set shootout of his own, sealing his place in the quarters with a 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 7-5 victory.
Auger-Aliassime will need to be on his game to challenge the world No. 2, but he said the come-from-behind win over Cilic has done a lot for his self-belief.
"It puts it even higher. I lost three times to Marin in the past, this was my first win against him, at an important moment like this," Auger-Aliassime said.
"I always knew in the back of my mind, like I told him at the end of the match, he's a champion the way he handles himself and the way he plays, so you know he was going to come out with his best level and test me and make me earn my win, so I'm really relieved and happy to get through, especially the way I did."
Auger-Aliassime is the second Canadian through to the quarters. Denis Shapovalov will face 20-time Grand Slam tournament champ Rafael Nadal on Tuesday in Melbourne (10 p.m. ET Monday in Canada) for a place in the final four.
