Auger-Ailassime upset by Fils at Indian Wells, Mboko advances to quarterfinals

By Canadian Press on March 10, 2026.

INDIAN WELLS — Canadian tennis star Félix Auger-Aliassime was eliminated from singles play at the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open after dropping a 6-3, 7-6 (9) decision to France’s Arthur Fils in fourth-round action Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Fils, seeded 30th at the 1000-level event, won 83 per cent of his service points and didn’t face a break point in the first set.

Montreal’s Auger-Aliassime, seeded ninth, put more pressure on Fils’s serve in the second set but only converted one of four break points.

Fils pounded his chest in triumph as Auger-Aliassime hit wide on match point.

Fils will next face the winner of a match between fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany and 21st-seeded American Frances Tiafoe.

Victoria Mboko of Toronto had a better day on the court than Auger-Aliassime as she upset sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 6-1 in one hour, 13 minutes.

The 10th-seeded Mboko advances to the women’s singles quarterfinals where she’ll face the top-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4.

Mboko finished her match with Anisimova with five aces and four double faults. She won all eight of her service games and four of nine return games. She won four of four break points.

Anisimova finished with four aces and two double faults. She won five of nine service games and lost all eight return games. She won no break points.

In men’s doubles play, Auger-Aliassime and American Sebastian Korda lost to Russians Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev in the men’s round of 16 on Tuesday night.

Khachanov and Rublev won 7-6 (3), 4-6, 10-5 in one hour, 42 minutes to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Russians finished with seven aces and one double fault. They won eight of 11 service games and two of 11 return games. They saved one of four break points and won two of eight break points.

Auger-Aliassime and Korda had six aces and two double faults. They won nine of 11 service games and three of 11 return games. They saved six of eight break points and win three of four break points.

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani were set to play Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the U.S. and Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the women’s quarterfinals. 


In women’s round-of-16 singles action later Tuesday, 10th-seeded Victoria Mboko of Toronto was set to face sixth-seeded Amanda Anisimova of the United States.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press