Cramps force Félix Auger-Aliassime out of 2026 Australian Open first round

MELBOURNE, Australia—Félix Auger-Aliassime became the first Top 8 seed to exit the 2026 Australian Open, as the No. 7 cited cramps after a retirement to Nuno Borges in the first round on Monday.

Feeling the effects at the start of the third set, Auger-Aliassime ultimately conceded the contest, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, ret. Cramps are considered a “loss of conditioning,” and players are limited in on-court treatments of the ailment.

“I don't have all the answers now,” a dazed Auger-Aliassime explained his post-match press conference. “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.

“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.”

The 25-year-old began 2026 poised to continue a return to form that began last summer and included runs to the US Open semifinals, the Rolex Paris Masters final, and a semifinal finish at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Finishing the year at No. 5, Auger-Aliassime began the season at United Cup, and though he felt under the weather during the team competition, the Canadian was feeling no ill-effects in Melbourne.

“I felt better quickly after,” insisted Auger-Aliassime, the No. 7 seed who was in the top half of the draw alongside top seed Carlos Alcaraz and No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev.

“We were very careful with our preparation and having time on the court to get ready for obviously the tough matches. You know, spending three to four hours on the court, some of the days slowing down a little bit to not kill myself.

“We were as precise as we could as a team. It's not time to point any fingers. It's more time to just get all together and then find solutions.”

...You might feel something jumping on a serve. Now my memory is a bit vague if it was the end of the second or the start of the third, but around there. Obviously you don't panic. You think, 'Oh, maybe it was just one bad movement or one jump that didn't feel right.' But then as I started moving left and right, having to sprint, and every time I cramped, you know what's happening. Félix Auger-Aliassime

Borges was conciliatory towards Auger-Aliassime in his on-court interview.

“I feel for him,” he said. “I know how he feels to struggle physically and it is part of tennis. I hope he gets better quickly and back to his best level.”

Borges will face either Juan Manuel Cerundolo or Jordan Thompson in the second round.