Félix Auger-Aliassime fell 6-3, 6-3 to Karen Khachanov in opening-round action at the China Open in Beijing on Wednesday. The Montreal native, seeded second in the tournament, managed nine aces but secured no break-point opportunities, while Khachanov converted three of four chances and finished the match in just over 70 minutes.
Why the loss stings
This marks the second time in less than four weeks that Khachanov has eliminated Auger-Aliassime from a major tournament despite the Canadian holding a seeding advantage. At the U.S. Open on September 3, Khachanov defeated the No. 3-seeded Auger-Aliassime 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the second round, a result that cost Auger-Aliassime 750 ranking points.
The pattern emerging
Khachanov's back-to-back victories over Auger-Aliassime underscore a recent slump for the Canadian that extends beyond these two matches. The unseeded Russian has now beaten a top-10 player twice this season, both times against Auger-Aliassime. Khachanov attributed the China Open match to challenging conditions and a competitive draw, telling reporters that "every match is a battle" in Beijing this year.
The second-round exit in Beijing continues a difficult stretch for Auger-Aliassime, who reached the U.S. Open semifinals a year earlier but has struggled to maintain that form in recent weeks.
Sources
- Yahoo! Sports Canada: Canada's Auger-Aliassime ousted by Khachanov again, this time at China Open. The Canadian Press, 2026-09-29.
- Serve On SI: Karen Khachanov Has Become Felix Auger-Aliassime's Kryptonite. 2026-10-02.
- Yahoo! Sports: Karen Khachanov Has Become Felix Auger-Aliassime's Kryptonite. 2026-10-02.
Reported from public sources.