FAA buries Musetti to reach Shanghai quarters

Felix Auger-Aliassime fired seven aces among 24 winners on Wednesday, becoming the first Canadian to reach the quarter-finals at the Shanghai Masters as he pounded Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-2.

FAA kept his nose in the chase for a possible spot at the November ATP Finals in Turin where he stands provisional 12th for the eight-player field.

The winner said he likes the look of his current game.

“In my mind I feel better than I did in 2022, my best season. But I don’t want to project too far,” said the newly married player who is taking his “honeymoon” in China as he reached the last eight here.

“I’m playing fast but seeing the ball slow. We’ve been working on this kind of game plan. but a match on court is a different story than practice.

“I’m very pleased with how things are coming along. But this is just the quarter-finals – there’s a lot of tennis to play,” he said after booking a Masters quarter-final for the 11th time.

“I feel good with my game and my movement. I want to stay steady, keep working, put my head down and focus on my craft.”

The winner will compete in his third straight last-eight match after Cincinnati and a US Open semi-final.