Rafael Nadal, 2nd in the world, suffered a second defeat in as many matches at the Turin Masters by yielding to Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (6th), 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday.
Beaten on Sunday for his entry into the running by Taylor Fritz (9th), also in two sets, the Spaniard can still hope to reach the semi-finals, but for that he will need a combination of favorable circumstances including a victory Thursday against the Norwegian Casper Ruud (4th).
The other match of this second day of the Green group opposes in the evening Fritz to Ruud, winner of Auger-Aliassime on Sunday.
If Ruud wins at least one set against Fritz, Nadal will be eliminated and allow his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz to remain world No.1.
Where the Rafa of the big days is ruthless, that of this end of the season is friable: Tuesday, the player with 22 Grand Slam titles failed to realize his opportunities, raise his level on key points.
He thus had a total of five break points but did not win any.
And he only saved two of the four conceded to his opponent.
In difficulty with his first serve, the Canadian quickly found himself under pressure in the first set: he had to save two break points in the first game and two others at 3-3.
But each time he got away with it and it was the Spaniard who cracked in the eighth game: while he was leading 40/0 and looked like he could easily equalize at 4-4, Nadal was unable to finish and conceded the first break of the game.
Auger-Aliassime easily completed the first set then on his service game.
Félix Auger-Aliassime after his victory against the Spaniard.
GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE / PANORAMIC
In the second set, when he was leading 40/15 on his serve at 1-1, Nadal again offered the break to FAA who kept their advantage until the end by taking advantage of a regained service (15 aces in the total).
Auger-Aliassime, who had pushed Nadal to the fifth set in the round of 16 at Roland-Garros, won for the first time against the Spaniard in three games.
Nadal also recorded a fourth defeat in a row (after those in the round of 16 at the US Open and as soon as he entered the running in Paris), which had not happened to him since November 2009.