Felix Auger-Aliassime has had a frustrating career to date. He is currently ranked No. 8 on the ATP tour, sure, but he hasn't yet won a Grand Slam, and he hasn't had a sustained run of success. He's been great at times and diminished in form in others. His 2026 is not off to a great start either.
In his first-round match at the Australian Open, the Canadian jumped out to a 6-3 lead after the first set, but then the struggles came. Mostly, it seems, from cramping. That didn't start until the third set, however. In the second set, his opponent, Nuno Borges, simply outplayed him to even the match 6-4.
The heat in Melbourne at the Australian Open can certainly take a toll on players, but the heat wasn't extremely oppressive in the Auger-Aliassime and Borges match. Players also understand that they must physically prepare for the conditions on the court. That means, obviously, knowing how to do that.
Felix Auger-Aliassime bounces himself out of the Australian Open in the first round
He didn't seem to have an answer in speaking with the media in his post-match press conference.
"I want to be on the court competing with my opponent," he said. "I don’t want to be just standing there, you know, like a punching bag. So there’s no point. I don’t have all the answers now. I’m trying to be very professional at everything I do, prepare well. I love this sport, and I love to play. So I try to do everything I can in my control to get ready. It hurts even more, because you know, if 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."
Auger-Aliassime is too skilled a player to let himself be affected by his physical conditioning in the first round of the first Grand Slam of the year. He is a very good hard-court player, and he should be able to make a deep run in Melbourne. One might begin to doubt whether he has the right mental approach to majors.
He moves around the court well, has a blistering serve and an overpowering forehand, but like everyone else on the ATP tour, he cannot get past Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz to win the biggest events. Auger-Aliassime struggles to get past anyone else, however.
He's only made two semifinals at majors in his career, both at the US Open and most recently in 2025. In five of his last seven appearances at Grand Slams, though, he hasn't made it past the second round. That's unacceptable for a player like the Canadian. He will also never be a staple in the top 10 if he cannot be more successful in bigger tournaments.
Still, he seems to be at a loss for what ails him in majors. That implies Felix Auger-Aliassime has difficulty with the mental aspects of tennis. Many times, that is more difficult to overcome than cramping up on the court.