Australian Open 2026: Felix Auger-Aliassime retires hurt in first round after cramp

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Australian Open 2026 campaign came to a painful and premature end on Monday after the Canadian was forced to retire from his first-round match due to severe cramp.

The seventh seed, who reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne in 2022, made a strong start by taking the opening set 6-3 against Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

However, his momentum faded as Borges claimed the next two sets 6-4, 6-4, before Auger-Aliassime was unable to continue.

The 25-year-old appeared increasingly troubled by his left leg as the match progressed and eventually walked gingerly to the net to concede the contest. Speaking after the match, Felix Auger-Aliassime confirmed that cramping was the reason behind his retirement.

“I can’t recall cramping like this ever in my life, especially this early in a tournament and this early in a match,” he said, adding that the issue began at the start of the third set.

While temperatures in Melbourne hovered close to 30 degrees Celsius, Auger-Aliassime said he was unsure if the heat was the sole cause, but stressed that continuing was impossible.

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“I don’t like to be on the court that way. I want to be competing and trying to win, not just standing there like a punching bag,” said the Canadian, an eight-time ATP title winner.

Borges, currently ranked 46th in the world, expressed sympathy for his opponent while also acknowledging the importance of the victory. “It’s part of tennis. The schedule is long and very demanding physically, so I understand,” he said. “I hope he recovers quickly and gets back to his best.”

The Portuguese player will next face either Australian wildcard Jordan Thompson or Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round on Wednesday.