Felix Auger-Aliassime’s anticipated 2026 Australian Open campaign came to an abrupt halt in the first round on Monday. The Canadian retired mid-match, trailing two sets to one against Portugal’s Nuno Borges. After the shocking move, Auger-Aliassime indicated that he was blindsided by the leg discomfort that resulted in his exit.
What Happened to Felix-Auger Aliassime at Australian Open 2026?
Auger-Aliassime, seeded 7th, was one of the top favorites to make a deep run at the Melbourne Major. According to PFSN’s exclusive tennis simulator, he boasted an impressive 74.7% chance at getting past the opening round. Stars, however, didn’t align for the 25-year-old as he began experiencing discomfort in his leg at the start of the third set, after winning the opening set and losing the second. In his post-match press conference, he said:
“I just started cramping at the start of the third set. It became very difficult to be competitive at this level. I tried first set but it wasn’t possible today.”
Auger-Aliassime called for a medical timeout at the end of the third set but ultimately retired against Borges, trailing 6-3, 4-6, 4-6. He later revealed that he was caught completely off guard by the cramping and the leg injury, suggesting that he felt prepared to go far at the tournament.
“I don’t have all the answers now. I’m trying to be very professional with everything I do; prepare well. I love the sport and I love to play, so I try to do everything I can in my control to get ready. Obviously, it hurts even more, because if I was self-aware and I wasn’t really ready or I wasn’t doing everything, then you have to be honest with yourself. But even with being honest with myself, I’m not totally finding the reasons why this is happening. It wasn’t happening in the past, so I have to figure it out.”
Auger-Aliassime Refused to Blame Past Illness After Melbourne Setback
The Canadian started his 2026 season with a win against Zhang Zhizhen at the United Cup. He reportedly fell ill before the next match, where he lost to Zizou Bergs. He, however, refused to blame the illness for his setback in Melbourne.
“I took a day off after the United Cup and I felt better quickly after. Then we just went up gradually but we were very careful with our preparation and having time on the court to get ready for the tough matches; spending 3-4 hours on the court. Some of the days, slowing down a little bit to not kill myself. We were as precise as we could as a team,” he said.
To be ready for the Australian Open, Auger-Aliassime participated in an intense practice match against two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner on Friday, January 16. He lost the match, posting a competitive 6-4, 4-6, (10-7) score. The World No. 8, who was chasing his first Grand Slam title at the tournament, will now look to recover before resuming his journey at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam.
