Auger-Aliassime comeback bid falls short in quarterfinal loss to Zverev at Madrid

MADRID — Canadian tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime saw his comeback bid fall short in a 6-3, 7-5 loss to world No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Friday in the Madrid Open quarterfinals.

Auger-Aliassime, seeded eighth at the Masters clay-court event, battled back from a 4-1 deficit in the second set. He finally broke Zverev in the seventh game, then holding to tie the set 4-4.

Zverev held serve to make it 5-4 and once again had Auger-Aliassime on the ropes, but the Montreal native saved two match points before holding for a 5-5 tie.

The defending champion from Germany finally put the match away when he held for a 6-5 lead, then earned his fourth break to take the second set 7-5.