Hobbled Auger-Aliassime Retires from AO Opener
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, January 18, 2026
Photo credit: Australian Open Facebook
Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Australian Open ended in a painfully premature exit.
The two-time US Open semifinalist Auger-Aliassime retired after cramping while trailing Portugal’s Nuno Borges 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
After losing the third set, Auger-Aliassime, who seemed to be suffering from a hamstring issue, pulled the plug on the first round, walking to net slowly to shake hands.
“I’m okay, but I just started cramping at the start of the third set,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Yeah, it became
very difficult to be competitive at this level.
“I tried for a set, but yeah, wasn’t possible today.”
Heartbreaking for FAA this but we know you'll be back stronger ❤️🩹
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2026
Borges is through to the second round 3-6 6-4 6-4 (retd)@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/uWKsBDqzkB
Auger-Aliassime, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 last fall following his run to the 2025 US Open semifinals, had split his two United Cup matches earlier this month.
On a hot Melbourne day, Auger-Aliassime said he wasn’t quite sure what caused the cramping issue.
“I don’t have all the answers now. I’m trying to be very professional at everything I do, prepare well,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I love this 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 you know, if I was self-aware and I was, like, well, 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’ll have to figure it out.”
Borges moves into round two against either Argentinean Juan Manuel Cerundolo or Aussie wild card Jordan Thompson.
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