Félix Auger-Aliassime’s preparation for the upcoming French Open took an unexpected turn on Wednesday as he fell to American underdog Aleksandar Kovacevic with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
The Montreal native, who entered the ATP 500 clay-court tournament as the top seed, initially held a 4-1 advantage in the final set but watched as Kovacevic staged a stunning comeback.
Previously, Auger-Aliassime had secured victories in both of their past encounters.
Kovacevic, who earned a spot in the main draw after Zizou Bergs withdrew post-qualifying, made history as the first American since legends Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras in 1995 to reach the quarterfinals in Hamburg.
Now ranked No. 5 in the world, Auger-Aliassime’s record this season slipped to 19-10, marking his second consecutive second-round exit.
The Canadian ace will aim to bounce back at Roland Garros, where he has faced first-round eliminations in two of his last three tournaments.
