US Open 2026: Felix Auger-Aliassime Knocked Out in Second-Round Shock
Felix Auger-Aliassime's US Open 2026 campaign has ended in a major second-round upset, with the third-seeded Canadian falling to Russia's Karen Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The defeat came after Auger-Aliassime began strongly by taking the opening set in a tiebreak. But his level dropped dramatically as the match progressed, with the Canadian later revealing that he had been dizzy and seeing spots after roughly a set and a half.
Khachanov Completes Major Upset
Khachanov, a former US Open semifinalist, recovered from losing a closely contested opening set to take control of the match.
After Auger-Aliassime won the first-set tiebreak 7-5, Khachanov broke through in the second set and never allowed his opponent to regain the lead.
The Russian won the next three sets 6-3, 6-2 and 6-2, completing one of the tournament's biggest early upsets.
Khachanov's victory also marked an important achievement in his own Grand Slam season: he reached the third round at all four majors in 2026.
Auger-Aliassime Reveals Physical Problems
The Canadian's performance became increasingly difficult to explain as the match progressed.
Afterward, Auger-Aliassime said he began feeling unwell during the match and experienced dizziness and visual disturbances.
He described the sensation as unusual and said he had never experienced anything quite like it during a match. He also said there had been no obvious warning signs before the contest.
Importantly, no specific medical diagnosis had been established at the time of his post-match comments. Auger-Aliassime said he would undergo further evaluation to determine what had happened.
Errors Mount as Match Slips Away
Auger-Aliassime's physical problems were accompanied by an unusually high number of errors.
According to the official US Open report, he produced 99 total errors, including 47 unforced and 52 forced errors, compared with 60 total errors from Khachanov.
The Canadian had looked dangerous early, racing into a 3-0 lead in the opening set before Khachanov fought back.
But after losing the tiebreak, Auger-Aliassime was unable to reproduce that level of tennis.
Khachanov gradually took control from the baseline and repeatedly pressured the Canadian's serve, ultimately breaking him seven times during the four-set contest.
A Disappointing Early Exit
The result is particularly significant because Auger-Aliassime had been one of the notable contenders in the men's draw.
He had reached the US Open semifinals in 2021 and 2025, making this year's second-round exit a substantial setback.
His departure is also part of a turbulent men's tournament in New York, where several prominent players have already fallen earlier than expected.
With Auger-Aliassime now eliminated, Khachanov advances while the Canadian's focus turns to understanding the physical issue that affected him during the match.
Khachanov Moves On
For Khachanov, the victory provides another opportunity to make a deep run at the tournament where he reached the semifinals in 2022.
The Russian entered the US Open without being seeded and had struggled during the preceding American hard-court swing, making his victory over the third seed even more significant.
He will now continue his campaign in the third round, while Auger-Aliassime leaves New York earlier than expected.
For the Canadian, however, the priority is no longer simply analysing a disappointing tennis result.
After reporting dizziness and seeing spots during the match, determining the cause of those symptoms will be far more important than the early US Open exit itself.
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