Auger-Aliassime cruises past Alcaraz to eye third successive title

Felix Auger-Aliassime will bid to make it three successive ATP titles after he eased to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the Basel semi-finals on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Canadian will face the winner of Saturday's second semi-final between French Open quarter-finalist Holger Rune of Denmark and Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.

Bautista Agut is the last player to have got the better of Auger-Aliassime, beating him in Astana earlier this month -- before the Canadian went on his spree by winning in Florence and Antwerp.

US Open champion Alcaraz is the first top-20 player Auger-Aliassime has beaten in his 12-match winning run.

The Canadian, though, has a hold over the 19-year-old Spaniard as this was his third victory over him in as many meetings.

Auger-Aliassime -- who is chasing a spot in the season-ending ATP Finals -- took the initiative from the start of the match, serving nine aces and hitting 23 winners with nine unforced errors.

Alcaraz had just one break point in Auger-Aliassime's final service game, but he did not take it and two points later he was shaking hands with his victorious opponent at the net.