Defending champion Auger-Aliassime ends Stan Wawrinka’s stay in Montpellier

Defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime overcame wild card Stan Wawrinka, who is making his final appearance at the ATP 250 tournament, to make a winning start to his title defence at the Open Occitanie.

In the pair’s first meeting, top seed Auger-Aliassime earned a 6-4, 7-6(3) win against the 40-year-old Swiss star to reach the quarterfinals in Montpellier. Auger-Aliassime, 25, retired during his first-round match at the Australian Open against Nuno Borges last month but bounced back against Wawrinka to move a step closer to his ninth tour-level title.

Since the start of the decade, the Canadian Auger-Aliassime has earned a Tour-leading 86 indoor victories, lifting seven titles in these conditions. He will next play sixth seed Arthur Fils.

Fils, who is competing in his first tournament since August, defeated lucky loser Ugo Blanchet 7-6(4), 7-5 in the second round. With the win, the Frenchman advanced to his 19th tour-level quarterfinal.

Luca Nardi upset second seed Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-3 to earn his third Top 20 win. Nardi is into his second tour-level quarterfinal and leads Cobolli 4-0. Nardi will meet Martin Damm in the last eight, while Cobolli will head to the ATP 500 event in Dallas, aiming to bounce back from opening-round defeats at the Australian Open and Montpellier.

Fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor dispatched Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-4 to capture his first win since October. The Dutchman will next face French qualifier Titouan Droguet after the home hope beat last year’s finalist Aleksandar Kovacevic 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.