Felix Auger-Aliassime was eliminated from the 2026 US Open on September 3 after Karen Khachanov defeated the No. 3 seed 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the second round at Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Canadian won the opening set but Khachanov took control from the second set onward, while Auger-Aliassime was reported to be struggling with a suspected foot injury. The result ends Auger-Aliassime’s bid to repeat last year’s deep run in New York.
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Introduction
Felix Auger-Aliassime is out of the 2026 US Open after Karen Khachanov produced a four-set comeback against the No. 3 seed on Thursday, September 3, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Khachanov recovered from losing the opening set to beat the Canadian 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and advance to the third round. The victory was particularly significant because Auger-Aliassime entered the tournament as the world No. 4 and had been one of the leading contenders in the men’s draw.
The defeat also brings an early end to Auger-Aliassime’s return to the tournament where he reached the semifinals in 2025.
What Happened?
The match began with Auger-Aliassime looking like the player expected to advance.
The Canadian took the first set 7-5, but Khachanov immediately changed the momentum. The Russian won the second set 6-3 before taking increasingly firm control in the third and fourth sets, winning both 6-2.
According to tournament and match reports, Auger-Aliassime was also dealing with what appeared to be a foot problem during the contest. The injury affected the Canadian’s movement as Khachanov increasingly controlled the later stages of the match. The Guardian described Auger-Aliassime as struggling with a suspected foot injury.
The result was a major upset on paper. Before the match, Auger-Aliassime was ranked No. 4 in the world and was seeded third at the US Open, while Khachanov entered the tournament ranked considerably lower. The two had split their previous four meetings.
Key Details
- Winner: Karen Khachanov
- Loser: No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime
- Score: Khachanov won 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
- Round: Second round
- Date: September 3, 2026
- Venue: Louis Armstrong Stadium, New York
- Surface: Hard court
- Auger-Aliassime’s ranking: No. 4 entering the tournament
- Khachanov’s ranking: No. 50 in the pre-match tournament listing
- Previous US Open result: Auger-Aliassime reached the semifinals in 2025
- Notable concern: Auger-Aliassime struggled with a suspected foot injury during the match.
The loss is especially notable because Auger-Aliassime had already survived a difficult first-round match against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata.
Background
Auger-Aliassime arrived in New York with strong Grand Slam form.
At the 2025 US Open, he reached the semifinals, making New York one of the most successful Grand Slam venues of his career. The 2026 tournament therefore carried the additional pressure of defending a deep run from the previous year.
He began this year’s event by defeating Rinky Hijikata 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The match lasted more than three hours, and Auger-Aliassime finished with 17 aces and 48 winners.
His 2026 season had also included some significant results.
Auger-Aliassime won the Montpellier title in February and reached the quarterfinals at both the French Open and Wimbledon. At Wimbledon, he pushed Novak Djokovic through five sets before losing a deciding-set tiebreak.
However, his preparation for the US Open had not been completely straightforward. He withdrew from the Canadian Open in August because of a back injury, saying at the time that he was unable to serve properly during his attempted warm-up.
He then lost to Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round at Cincinnati shortly before the US Open.
Khachanov, meanwhile, entered New York after a difficult stretch of results but opened his US Open campaign impressively, defeating Roman Andres Burruchaga in straight sets.
What Officials / Organizations Said
The ATP Tour described Khachanov’s victory as his first Top 10 win of 2026, highlighting the significance of the upset. The ATP’s report identified Auger-Aliassime as a fourth-ranked player and last year’s US Open semifinalist.
The official US Open records also confirmed the matchup as a second-round meeting between the third-seeded Canadian and Khachanov. Before the match, the tournament’s SlamTracker listed their career head-to-head record at 2-2.
That balance made the match more competitive on paper than the seedings suggested.
There was also a clear contrast in recent Grand Slam experience. Auger-Aliassime had reached the US Open semifinals in 2025, while Khachanov had previously reached the semifinals in New York as well. The Russian’s past US Open success therefore meant the upset was not without precedent.
Why This Matters
For Felix Auger-Aliassime, the defeat represents a significant missed opportunity.
As the No. 3 seed, he was expected to navigate at least the early rounds and challenge for another deep run. Instead, his tournament ended after only two singles matches.
The circumstances also make the result more difficult to evaluate purely as a tennis upset.
Khachanov deserves credit for turning the match around after losing the first set, but reports of Auger-Aliassime’s suspected foot problem provide important context. Movement is especially important on hard courts, where players must repeatedly change direction and defend from the baseline.
Once Khachanov took the second set, the match became increasingly one-sided. He won the final two sets 6-2, leaving Auger-Aliassime unable to regain the momentum he had established early.
The result also opens up the draw for other players. With the third seed gone, a major name has been removed from the section of the bracket, creating a potentially more favorable path for the players remaining in that part of the tournament.
For Khachanov, the victory provides a much-needed boost after a difficult run of form heading into New York.
What Happens Next?
Khachanov moves into the third round of the 2026 US Open.
His next opponent will come from the remaining players in his section of the draw, with the tournament continuing through September 13. The Russian now has an opportunity to build on his biggest win of the season and make another deep run in New York.
For Auger-Aliassime, the immediate priority is likely recovery and determining the extent of the foot problem reported during the match.
No definitive diagnosis or confirmed severity of the suspected foot issue should be assumed from reports of the match alone. Further information would need to come directly from Auger-Aliassime, his team or tournament medical officials.
The Canadian’s season, however, still includes several encouraging Grand Slam performances. He reached the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon and demonstrated at Wimbledon that he can compete at the highest level against elite opposition.
His early US Open exit is therefore a setback, but it does not erase the progress he made earlier in the season.
FAQs
Who defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime at the 2026 US Open?
Karen Khachanov defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the 2026 US Open.
What was the score between Auger-Aliassime and Khachanov?
Khachanov won 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Auger-Aliassime won the opening set before Khachanov took the next three.
Was Felix Auger-Aliassime injured?
Match reports said Auger-Aliassime appeared to be struggling with a suspected foot injury. A definitive diagnosis or severity was not established in the reporting available at the time.
What was Felix Auger-Aliassime seeded at the US Open?
Auger-Aliassime was the No. 3 seed at the 2026 US Open and entered the tournament ranked No. 4 in the world.
How far did Auger-Aliassime go at the 2025 US Open?
Auger-Aliassime reached the semifinals of the 2025 US Open, where he made a deep run as the No. 25 seed.
Who is Karen Khachanov?
Karen Khachanov is a Russian professional tennis player who has previously reached the semifinals of the US Open. He defeated Auger-Aliassime in the 2026 second round to reach the tournament’s third round.
What was Auger-Aliassime’s first-round result in 2026?
Auger-Aliassime defeated Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the first round.
What happens to Khachanov after beating Auger-Aliassime?
Khachanov advances to the third round of the 2026 US Open and will continue his singles campaign in New York.
Sources
Primary and authoritative sources:
- ATP Tour — September 3, 2026: Report on Karen Khachanov’s upset of third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime at the US Open.
- US Open — Official tournament records: SlamTracker and tournament information for the Auger-Aliassime–Khachanov second-round matchup.
- US Open — Official 2026 schedule: Tournament dates and schedule information.
- Tennis Canada — August 31, 2026: Auger-Aliassime’s first-round victory over Rinky Hijikata and match statistics.
- Reuters / The Guardian — September 3, 2026: Independent coverage of the day’s US Open action and Auger-Aliassime’s defeat.
- ATP Tour — August 5, 2026: Auger-Aliassime’s withdrawal from the Canadian Open because of a back issue.
- ATP Tour — July 7, 2026: Auger-Aliassime’s five-set Wimbledon quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic.
Source of the content: This article was independently researched and synthesized from the official US Open tournament records, ATP Tour reporting, Tennis Canada, Reuters and The Guardian. The match score and elimination are confirmed; references to Auger-Aliassime’s foot problem are described as a suspected injury, not a confirmed medical diagnosis.
