Auger-Aliassime, Mannarino Reach Open Occitanie Final

Montpellier, France – Defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada advanced to the final of the Open Occitanie on Saturday, defeating French qualifier Titouan Droguet 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in a hard-fought semifinal match that lasted two hours and 26 minutes.

The top-seeded Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 8 in the world, fired 20 aces without committing a double fault, showcasing his dominant serving game. He generated 47 winners against 29 unforced errors and saved all three break points he faced while converting three of 10 opportunities on Droguet's serve. Droguet, making his first ATP Tour semifinal at No. 150 in the rankings, responded with 14 aces and 30 winners but struggled with 37 unforced errors and three double faults, failing to break serve.

Auger-Aliassime controlled the opening set with steady baseline play, but Droguet elevated his performance in the second, forcing a tiebreaker with aggressive returns and a clutch ace at 5-5. The Frenchman won the breaker to level the match and energize the home crowd. In the decisive third set, tied at 1-1, Droguet earned two break points in the third game, but Auger-Aliassime held firm, including with an ace on the second. From...