A quick turnaround and surging opponent proved too much for Félix Auger-Aliassime to overcome at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers on Wednesday night.
Saying he was “very motivated” to compete in his hometown of Montréal even despite returning from his inspiring Olympic display in Paris late Sunday night local time, ‘FAA’ fell to Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2 at Stade IGA in just over an hour.
Auger-Aliassime suffered a second consecutive opening defeat in Canada but fell in his Montréal first-rounder for the first time.
But the home faithful still gave Auger-Aliassime a standing ovation upon his departure, with the soon-to-be 24-year-old acknowledging their support and offering up a muted wave.
Their gratitude was much deserved, since Auger-Aliassime pulled off triple duty at the Olympics and came away with a bronze medal in the mixed doubles with Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski.
His singles sojourn was even longer, playing in the bronze medal decider against Lorenzo Musetti on Saturday night Paris time.
Judging by what happened against Cobolli, changing gears — not to mention surfaces and balls — came too quickly.
“I can't say I was very fresh, either physically or mentally,” Auger-Aliassime told reporters. “It was quite complicated, but it's not an excuse.
“I can't just come here saying, ‘I should have done this and that.’ I knew it was going to be a challenge. It didn't go my way, but that’s the way it is, and now I'm going to move on.”
Auger-Aliassime’s serve, so pivotal to his game, wasn’t firing. In the first set, he won 89 percent of his first-serve points. The problem was that the world No. 19 only served at 45 percent.
He finished at 46 percent overall, his lowest tally at an ATP tournament or Grand Slam since 2021 Stockholm (when he lost to pal Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont.).
“Yeah, terrible, terrible night serving,” he said. “But it was tough. I just couldn't really control it. I couldn't get my rhythm. I couldn't really be precise in that department.
“So when the point starts like this, it's tough to get any better.”
Cobolli — like Musetti a talented 22-year-old Italian — pounced on Auger-Aliassime’s second serve.
Two double faults into the net contributed to Auger-Aliassime being broken to trail 4-2 in the first.
Cobolli, resembling his idol Novak Djokovic, began the next game with a rasping backhand passing shot down the line on the back foot.
When he needed luck, he got that, too, benefiting from a net-cord winner at 5-3.
He took complete control when breaking for 3-2 in the second, as Auger-Aliassime started with a drive volley into the net and another double fault.
On break point, Cobolli’s acrobatic forehand return down the line got things started.
Cobolli entered January’s Australian Open ranked 100th but now sits at 33rd after making his first final in Washington on Sunday.
Don’t discount the Rome native — now 2-0 against Auger-Aliassime — climbing even higher.
It wasn’t the Canada Day at the NB Open that the home players and their fans were hoping for, as Shapovalov lost in the day session to Brandon Nakashima and fellow wildcard Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., retired injured at 1-2 in the first set against Sebastian Korda on Court Rogers.
Shapovalov, though, brightened the mood when he spoke of Auger-Aliassime’s Olympic achievement.
“It’s insane,” said Shapovalov. “Super proud of him and super proud of him and Gaby. Growing up with Félix, I remember him from six years old. To come this way, I don’t think we even imagined playing the Olympics and getting a medal.
“For him to get bronze it’s amazing for Canada, for him, and for everyone. I feel super proud as a Canadian and I’m sure everybody does as well.”
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