Legend Ashe the benchmark for teenager Auger-Aliassime

Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime has been compared to Arthur Ashe, the only black man to win three Grand Slam titles, and he said Wednesday he would love to emulate the American legend.

The 18-year-old, the youngest player in the men's singles, said Ashe, who won Wimbledon in 1975 to add to his US Open (1968) and Australian Open (1970), was to be admired not only for what he achieved on court but also off it.

Ashe died of pneumonia-related AIDS in 1993.

Auger-Aliassime edged a step closer to striking off one of Ashe's Grand Slam wins by beating Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last 32 at Wimbledon.

"The comparison, yeah, it goes back far," said Auger-Aliassime.

"Obviously, he's a big model for me but also many players.

"But he was just a great human and he kind of changed things in a sport and in his life, and he changed a lot of people's lives.

"So I think that's what I take from him. And if I could do that one day in my way, that would be great, yeah.

"Hopefully I can have a similar career."
"I think since I'm very young, you kind of learn how to deal with this pressure, with the stress."
- 'Carry the sport' -
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