Felix Auger-Aliassime, the third seed in the men’s singles bracket and a US Open semifinalist just last year in 2025, is officially done at Flushing Meadows. He got absolutely bounced from the second round on Thursday, September 3, 2026, by Russia’s Karen Khachanov, an unseeded veteran who knows his way around big tournaments. This is a brutal early exit for the Canadian, especially considering his track record here as a two-time semifinalist.
What Went Wrong: The Ugly Numbers and The Fight That Wasn’t
Khachanov, a US Open semifinalist himself back in 2022, took the match in four sets, with the final score a crushing 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Auger-Aliassime actually eked out that first-set tiebreaker, showing a glimpse of the fight we’ve seen from him before. But after that, man, it just crumbled. The big story, the truly painful part to read, is the unforced errors. Auger-Aliassime racked up a shocking 47 of them, compared to Khachanov’s 30. That’s a huge difference, and it cost him dearly. Khachanov, on the other hand, was ripping blistering backhand down-the-line winners when it counted, showing up exactly when he needed to. He even noted in an on-court interview that maybe Auger-Aliassime “had some physical issues” and that it’s “part of our sport. It’s part of tennis.” Khachanov tried to give his “best performance” and “fight,” and you know what? He did, and he’s “super happy to get this win.”
A Troubling Trend: Injuries, Coaching Changes, and Early Exits
This early exit isn’t just a one-off bad day for the 26-year-old Canadian. It really highlights some concerning trends we’ve seen this season. While he reached the quarterfinals at both the French Open and Wimbledon, things started looking shaky after that. He had to withdraw from the Rogers Cup in Montreal in early August because of a back injury, which definitely raises eyebrows given Khachanov’s comments. Then, at the Cincinnati Open in mid-August, he only managed to win two matches before losing in the round of 16 to Frances Tiafoe. Add to that the fact that Auger-Aliassime came into this US Open without a coach, having parted ways with long-time coach Frederic Fontang in July. That’s a lot of turmoil to deal with on the biggest stage.
This tournament is already wild, with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed, also falling in the first round. Khachanov is now moving on, riding high after a huge upset. For Felix Auger-Aliassime, it’s a long flight home and a lot of questions about his form, his health, and what comes next after such a disappointing and error-filled performance at the US Open.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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