PARIS — A once-promising quarterfinal match at the French Open took a heartbreaking turn for Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old from Montreal was in control, leading a set and a break against Italy’s No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli, when it seemed as if the very essence of his confidence vanished in an instant.
From that point on, he found himself struggling just to stay in the match.
His body language shifted, turning sour and downcast. He mumbled to himself during changeovers and briefly challenged the chair umpire over a service let cord he claimed to have heard, though it went unnoticed by everyone else.
As the match concluded with Cobolli claiming a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, Auger-Aliassime wore a look of despair reminiscent of his toughest defeats.
This moment of introspection emerged just when he needed to seize the opportunity in an open Grand Slam tournament, where the trophy awaited the boldest contenders. Unfortunately, he faltered and felt the sting of disappointment.
Despite set to be ranked No. 4 in the world come Monday — a new personal best — Auger-Aliassime knows deep down that his journey hasn’t reached the heights he aspires to, given his talent and relentless effort.
“I can’t complain about life in general, but my tennis career feels tough at the moment. I’m feeling a bit… crushed today,” he admitted.
“I typically deal with losses effectively, returning to training with a positive mindset. Today, I don’t feel like the player I want to be, making this an especially hard day.”
The once-promising star is acutely aware that time waits for no one. Although still young, he is far from the 14-year-old prodigy who once made headlines alongside legends like Rafael Nadal.
He watches his contemporaries, such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, and Alexander Zverev, steadily remaining in the ATP Tour’s top 10, yet struggling to breakthrough.
Moreover, he can’t ignore the rising youngsters who also reached these French Open quarterfinals — the 19-year-old Joao Fonseca, Rafael Jodar, and 20-year-old Jakub Mensik — with so much more time ahead of them.
“As time goes by, I find myself growing increasingly impatient. I turn 26 this year, and my progress isn’t where I wish it to be, which is difficult for me today,” he expressed.
Auger-Aliassime did have a brief resurgence in the third set, with seven break-point opportunities, yet he failed to convert any. Cobolli took full advantage, seizing his single chance.
The windy conditions played a significant role, with impending rain causing gusts that blew red clay everywhere, creating a challenging atmosphere.
However, Auger-Aliassime managed to clinch the first set, which concluded as tournament organizers decided to close the retractable roof despite minimal rain.
This development should have enhanced his chances, as he thrives in indoor settings where he can showcase his superb serving without external distractions.
Despite initially leading 3-1 in the second set, Auger-Aliassime’s momentum faded.
Instead, Cobolli capitalized on the opportunity, showcasing some of the finest tennis of the tournament.
“We experienced two different matches today. The first set was very windy. I took a break to think about what to change,” Cobolli reflected during his post-match interview. “This court is the best venue I’ve ever played on, allowing me to express my finest tennis. I told myself to fight, as this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance and I had to give it my all.”
Cobolli will advance to face the winner of the late quarterfinal clash between unseeded Italians Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi in his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal.
Auger-Aliassime will depart Paris, taking time to reflect and consider what further steps he can take to improve and what cards he still has to play.
He stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday believing this was his decisive moment, only to leave with the heavy understanding that it would be another’s triumph.
Earlier, Gabriela Dabrowski from Ottawa, alongside American Evan King, made it to the mixed doubles final after a nail-biting 7-5, 6-7 (6), 10-5 victory against Asia Muhammad and Nikola Mektic.
Dabrowski and King served for the match at 5-4 in the second set and even held match points but ended up dropping that set, leading to the decisive 10-point tiebreak.
They fell behind quickly at 1-5 but rallied back, winning nine consecutive points to claim victory.
Unseeded, Dabrowski and King will face the top seeds and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori in Thursday’s final (6 a.m. ET).
Dabrowski remains active in women’s doubles as well, teaming up with Brazil’s Luisa Stefani to take on top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the semifinals on Friday.
