Felix Auger-Aliassime Expresses Heartache Following French Open Exit

PARIS, France, June 3, 2026 – The 2026 French Open has proven to be full of surprises, with many of the top seeds bowing out earlier than expected. Among them is Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who faced a heartbreaking defeat in the quarterfinals against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli. After losing in four sets, Auger-Aliassime shared his emotional struggle, stating he felt “destroyed.”

Initially, the fourth-seeded Auger-Aliassime seemed poised to advance to his first semifinal at Roland Garros, winning the opening set and gaining momentum in the second. However, a sudden shift in weather conditions required the stadium roof to be closed, drastically altering the match's dynamics. Cobolli capitalized on this change, breaking Auger-Aliassime’s serve five times as he battled back to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 after a grueling three hours and 24 minutes.

Following the match, the 25-year-old openly discussed his feelings of disappointment and uncertainty regarding his tennis journey. “I’m in a place right now with my tennis career that… it’s tough. I’m destroyed today a little bit… Right now I feel like I’m not the player I want to be. Today’s a difficult day,” he confessed, reflecting on the mental toll of the loss.

Earlier that day, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka expressed similar sentiments after her own defeat, revealing she felt like quitting tennis altogether following a match against Diana Shnaider. Sabalenka described her emotional state, stating, “No thoughts, no emotion. I want to quit tennis right now. We’ll see in a few days. Hopefully, I can get back on track mentally.” It’s a struggle Auger-Aliassime can certainly empathize with.

Auger-Aliassime had shown promising form throughout the season, with a title win at the Montpellier Open and a runner-up finish at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. He also reached the semifinals at the Dubai Tennis Championships and the quarterfinals at the Monte Carlo Masters. Meanwhile, Cobolli's victory marks a significant milestone for him, as he advances to his first Grand Slam semifinal and secures a place in the ATP Top 10, setting the stage for an all-Italian semifinal clash against Matteo Arnaldi.