Top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over French qualifier Giovanni Mpehi-Perricade.
In the matchup between the two largest servers in the game, Auger-Aliassim leads 11-8. Mpetshi Perricard ranked second on the ATP Tour with 13.6 serves average over the past year, while Auger-Aliassime ranked 10th with an average of 10 serves during that period.
Nonetheless, Auger-Aliassime won on the strength of his serve. The world number eight won 83% of his first serve points and saved two of the three break points he faced.
Auger-Aliassime, 25, broke Pericard three times in five chances, including a crucial break to lead 5-4 in the first set and improve to 3-1 against the Frenchman.
Auger-Aliassime improved to 11-3 on the season and will next face eighth-seeded Jiri Lehecka.
Auger-Aliassime has a 2-1 record against the 24-year-old Czech.
