Lucky Loser Kovacevic Shocks Top-Seeded Felix to Surge Into Hamburg QF
By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Photo credit: TennisTV Screen Shot
The lucky loser was a warrior winner to make Hamburg history today.
Facing a 1-4 third-set deficit, Aleksandar Kovacevic reeled off the final five games in a row shocking top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to roar into the Hamburg Open quarterfinals.
Lucky loser Kovacevic, who honed his skills on the Har-Tru courts of Central Park in New York City, made history as the first American man to reach the Hamburg quarterfinals since Hall of Famers Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras in 1995.
It’s the biggest win, by ranking, of Kovacevic’s career.
The world No. 94 said he’s swinging more freely given his second chance in the draw.
“When you get a second chance like this, there is a bit of a feeling of, ‘There is nothing to lose out here’,” Kovacevic said. “You’re maybe a tad more relaxed. I’m a bit of a pessimist in life, so for me to come back as a lucky loser, I was not super excited about it.
“Everyone was telling me, ‘You have to be grateful for your second chance. You have to use it.’ It seems like I might be using it this week.”
The 27-year-old New York native, who took a set off Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells in March, saved three of five break points and sparked his third-set comeback on the strength of strong serve and first-strike forehands. Kovacevic won eight of his last 10 points played on serve.
Kovacevic will face either eighth-seeded compatriot Frances Tiafoe or Argentinean Camilo Ugo Carabelli for a semifinal spot.
In Match, Tiafoe denied two match points fending off Kovacevic 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7) in an Acapulco thriller. Tiafoe went on to reach the Acapulco final.
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