Felix Auger-Aliassime arrived at the 2026 Miami Open presented by Itau riding real momentum — a top-10 ranking, a title already in his pocket and 15 wins through the season’s first months. By Monday afternoon, all of that confidence ran headfirst into one of the tournament’s most compelling stories. Unseeded Frenchman Terence Atmane defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in one hour and 52 minutes, sending the seventh seed home in the third round and punching his own ticket to the round of 16.
It was a match that swung wildly, settled just as suddenly and left little doubt about who wanted it more when it mattered most.
Auger-Aliassime Comes In Confident
Auger-Aliassime entered the tournament in strong form. He opened his Miami campaign by defeating Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 7-6(3), 7-5 in the second round — a match defined by a pattern of traded breaks and tense rallies before the Canadian finally seized control late in the second set. It was his 15th win of 2026 and his fifth time reaching the Miami third round, though he had not advanced past that stage at this event since 2019. That streak was about to extend by one more year.
Earlier in the season, Auger-Aliassime had captured the Montpellier title, defeating Adrian Mannarino in the final 6-3, 7-6(4). He carried that confidence into Miami, entering his third-round matchup against Atmane as a heavy favorite. His record on hard courts this season stood at 7-4, and his overall stats against players outside the top 50 were a flawless 9-0.
Atmane Flips the Script
What unfolded on the Grandstand court Monday was not the match most had anticipated. Atmane, ranked 53rd in the world, came out with the sharpness and aggression of someone playing with nothing to lose. He broke Auger-Aliassime’s serve in the first set and closed it out 6-3 with controlled, precise hard-court tennis.
The Canadian stormed back in the second set, winning 6-1 in a display that looked like a full reset. But the third set told the real story. Atmane held his composure, refused to be rattled and took the deciding set 6-3 to complete one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. His match stats heading into the third round were equally impressive
- Defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-2 in the first round
- Beat compatriot Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(4), 6-3 in the second round
- Had not dropped a set until facing Auger-Aliassime
- Won 85.7 percent of first-serve points in Miami heading into the match
Auger-Aliassime’s Miami Curse Continues
For Auger-Aliassime, the loss deepens a frustrating pattern at this particular event. Despite reaching the third round five times in his career, he has not moved further in Miami since 2019 — a stat that stings more with each passing year. The Canadian has shown flashes of his best tennis throughout the 2026 season, but converting deep tournament runs at Masters 1000 events remains the missing piece.
His numbers this season are still solid — 15 wins, one title, a top-10 ranking — but questions about his ceiling at the sport’s biggest stages will linger as long as results like Monday’s keep appearing.
Atmane Steps Into the Spotlight
For Atmane, this win is a statement. The 24-year-old from Boulogne-sur-Mer is now confirmed to enter the top 50 in the ATP rankings on March 30 — a milestone that this week’s results have turned into a moment of celebration. He becomes the third French player to reach the Miami round of 16 in 2026, joining Arthur Fils and Ugo Humbert in what has been a standout stretch for French tennis on hard courts.
His next challenge comes from a loaded section of the draw that includes defending champion Jakub Mensik and American Frances Tiafoe. Auger-Aliassime‘s Miami chapter, meanwhile, closes early once again — leaving a gifted Canadian with more work to do before this tournament stops feeling like unfinished business.
