Félix Auger-Aliassime, seeded second at the China Open, fell to Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-3 in the first round in Beijing on Wednesday. The Canadian, ranked No. 5 globally, was broken three times in four service opportunities and never converted a break point against Khachanov, who completed the match in one hour and 12 minutes.
How did the match unfold?
Auger-Aliassime struck nine aces and 16 winners but committed 25 unforced errors compared to nine for Khachanov, who is ranked No. 27. The decisive difference was on serve: Khachanov's delivery proved untouchable while Auger-Aliassime's could not withstand pressure.
Why does this loss matter?
This is the second time Khachanov has eliminated Auger-Aliassime in September. Earlier in the month, the Russian defeated the Canadian in four sets in the second round of the US Open, then advanced to the semi-finals where he lost to eventual champion Alexander Zverev. Zverev is the top seed at the China Open.
Auger-Aliassime's focus now turns to the Davis Cup Finals, which take place in Bologna, Italy, from November 24 to 29. The Canadian secured Canada's spot in the competition 10 days ago by leading the team to a 3-1 victory over France in Quebec City.
Sources
- La Presse: Omnium de Chine Félix Auger-Aliassime se fait sèchement montrer la sortie. Published 2026-09-30.
Reported from public sources.