‘I’m destroyed today’: Auger-Aliassime rues missed opportunity at French Open

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And afterwards, after Cobolli finished of a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, Auger-Aliassime appeared as bereft as he’s looked after a defeat in a long, long time.

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The mini-existential crisis stemmed from this: right when he needed to seize the day in the final stages of a wide-open Grand Slam tournament whose trophy is there for the most daring to hoist up high on Sunday, he didn’t deliver. He let himself down.

Auger-Aliassime will be ranked No. 4 in the world on Monday, a new career high. But his career isn’t where he wants it to be with the talent he has and the work he puts in.

“On one hand, I can’t complain with my life, but I’m in a place right now with my tennis career that it’s tough. I’m a little bit … I’m destroyed today a little bit,” he said.

“I usually handle losses pretty well, I have to say. Like, my whole career, I was going back to training with optimism and positivity. Now I feel like I’m not the player I want to be, so today is a difficult day.”

The former phenom is hyper-aware that time is passing. He’s still young, but he’s a long, long way from the 14-year-old prodigy he once was, the one who set precocity records that put him in “youngest ever to…” lists with the great Rafael Nadal.

He sees some of his peers and players just slightly older — Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and even Alexander Zverev — who also have been solid citizens in the ATP Tour’s top 10 without being able to take that final big step.

And he can’t help but be aware of the youngsters who also made these French Open quarterfinals — 19-year-old Joao Fonseca and Rafael Jodar and 20-year-old Jakub Mensik — who have so much more road ahead of them than he does.

“As years go by, I think I’m growing more and more impatient. I’m 26 this year, and I’m not improving the way that I want to, so that’s why I’m not feeling great today,” he said.

Auger-Aliassime had a brief renaissance in the third set Wednesday, notably with seven break-point opportunities. But he couldn’t convert a single one. Cobolli had one chance, and converted it.

That wind was a major factor early on. There was rain in the air; gusts of wind were blowing the red clay everywhere. It was downright chilly, and the playing conditions were tricky.

But Auger-Aliassime put away that first set, which ended as the organizers decided to close the retractable roof even though there had been only a few spots of rain.

You would think that would have buoyed the Canadian’s chances. Auger-Aliassime excels in indoor conditions, where he can serve his very best without having to deal with the elements.

And he did go up 3-1 in that second set, before it all petered out.

Rather, it was Cobolli who seized the moment and produced some of his best tennis of the tournament.

“I think we played two different matches today. The first set was incredibly windy. I went to the toilet, to think what I’m going to change,” Cobolli said during his on-court interview. “This is the best court I’ve ever played on in my life, because I can express my best tennis. I just told myself to fight, because I felt this was the chance of my life, and I have to give everything.”

Cobolli will face the winner of the late quarterfinal between unseeded Italians Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi in his first Grand Slam semifinal.

Auger-Aliassime will leave Paris and after giving himself time to shake this one off, ponder what more he can do, how he can get better, what cards he still has to play.

He took to Court Philippe-Chartier on Wednesday believing this was his moment. He left it with the sinking realization that it will be someone else’s.

Earlier, Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski teamed with American Evan King, reached the mixed doubles final with a 7-5, 6-7 (6), 10-5 victory over Asia Muhammad and Nikola Mektic.

Dabrowski and King served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, had match points, but ended up losing that set to send it to the deciding 10-point tiebreak.

They quickly fell down 1-5 ­­before reeling off nine straight points to take it.

Dabrowski and King, who are unseeded, will meet No. 1 seeds and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori in Thursday’s final (6 a.m. ET)

Dabrowski is still alive in women’s doubles as well. She and partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil will meet top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the semifinals on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.

Stephanie Myles, The Canadian Press