PARIS – “Ole, Ole, Ole,” the Spanish fans chanted as they exited the metro at the Porte d’Auteuil station to see their young tennis hero Carlos Alcaraz in an Olympic semi-final action.
The world’s No. 3 ranked men’s player didn’t need much of a rallying cry to cruise past a weary-looking Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in an easy 6-1, 6-1 straight sets victory on the red clay at Roland Garros on Friday afternoon.
At least there were a couple of consolation prizes waiting for the Canadian, who has had a spirited tournament here, in the form of a pair of bronze-medal attempts.
It was tricky business for the young Montrealer, who surely was thrilled to be on the main Philippe-Chartrier court, but was always going to be over-matched against the 21-year-old Alcaraz, who won the French Open here earlier in the year.
And in the back of Auger-Aliassime’s head to be the looming bronze-medal match in mixed doubles later in the afternoon with partner Gabriela Dabrowski. If there was any good that came out of the one-sided defeat at the hands of the Spaniard, it’s that perhaps he might have more energy for the medal match.
When Friday is complete, he will have played 10 matches in six days, with at least three of those in extremely hot conditions at Roland Garros.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Auger-Aliassime said of the gruelling Olympic schedule when doubles is added. “The last few days I didn’t think it would be tough to play in all the events. It definitely took a toll on my body.
“The singles match (a three-set win in a Thursday quarter-final) was definitely tough and that pushed me over the edge. Let’s see, because I can recover quickly and get some good sleep.”
He’ll certainly need it later Friday afternoon if he’s going to win Canada’s first-ever mixed doubles medal with Dabrowski. Then, following the mixed doubles match on Friday, he will have a second chance for bronze when he takes on the loser of the other semi-final between Serbian great Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti.