Rome, May 9 (IANS) World No. 44 Mariano Navone produced the biggest win of his career after defeating World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to advance to the third round of the Italian Open on Saturday.

The Argentine held his nerve in a tense contest lasting nearly three hours at the Foro Italico to secure his first victory over a top-10 opponent and continue his strong run on clay this season. The result also marked Navone’s maiden appearance in the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event.

Navone, who arrived in Rome after winning his first ATP Tour title in Bucharest earlier this year, showed composure in both tie-breaks against an increasingly troubled Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian struggled physically late in the second set, appearing hampered by leg cramps and finding it difficult to move during crucial points.

Despite the physical discomfort, Auger-Aliassime stayed competitive and nearly forced the match into a deciding set after taking a 6-5 lead in the second. However, Navone recovered impressively, forcing another tie-break before sealing the victory with aggressive baseline play and consistent returning.

The Argentine had earlier cruised past fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the opening round and has yet to drop a set in the tournament. The latest win is expected to further improve his standing in the live ATP rankings, where he has already climbed several places during the week.

For Auger-Aliassime, the defeat continued a difficult clay-court campaign. The Canadian has struggled for rhythm on the surface this season and now holds a losing record on clay in 2026 despite reaching the quarter-finals in Monte Carlo earlier in the swing.

The upset added to a string of high-profile exits in the men’s draw, with top-10 players continuing to fall early in Rome. Navone will next face the winner of the clash between Brazil’s Joao Fonseca and Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in the third round.

–IANS

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