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

By Canadian Press on March 11, 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.

In women’s singles, Victoria Mboko of Toronto upset sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 6-1 in one hour 13 minutes. Mboko converted all four break points she had in the match.

“I knew she can strike a pretty clean and good ball,” Mboko said. “I feel like I had to really raise my level today and try to stay in there as much as I could with her. I’m glad to have got it done.”

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

“I feel really excited if anything,” Mboko said. “I know she’s winning everything. So it’s a good challenge and it’s a privilege to play her. I’m just sure it’s going to be really fun.”

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

Khachanov and Rublev won 7-6 (3), 4-6, 10-5 to advance to the quarterfinals.

In women’s doubles, Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani were eliminated by Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the U.S. and Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in a tight quarterfinal. The winners took the match 7-6 (3), 3-6, 10-8.

They will next play either Mboko and Russian Mirra Andreeva or Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina and Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in the semifinal.