NEW YORK (AP) — Felix Auger-Aliassime got past Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-6 (4) at the U.S. Open across 4 hours, 10 minutes on Wednesday to reach his second Grand Slam semifinal — and second at Flushing Meadows.
The No. 25-seeded Auger-Aliassime's only other trip to the final four at a major came in New York in 2021 at age 21.
Click to Gallery
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, reacts after defeating Lorenzo Musetti, of Italy, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts during a match against Karolina Muchova, of the Czech Republic, at the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, hugs Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, after Anisimova defeated Swiatek during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, reacts after defeating Iga Swiatek, of Poland, in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Alex de Minaur, of Australia, returns a shot to Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, reacts after defeating Alex de Minaur, of Australia, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, reacts after defeating Alex de Minaur, of Australia, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“Four years ago. It feels like more,” said Auger-Aliassime, who advanced back then when Carlos Alcaraz stopped playing in the quarterfinals with an injured leg muscle. “It was a tough couple of years.”
Auger-Aliassime, who is Canadian, will meet No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Friday for a berth in the championship match. No. 2 Alcaraz faces No. 7 Novak Djokovic in the other semifinal.
“It's not over. There's still some tennis to play and the biggest challenges are yet to come,” Auger-Aliassime said. “That's what I live for. That's what I train for.”
He hit 22 aces and finished with a total of 51 winners to the 29 for de Minaur, who dropped to 0-6 for his career in Grand Slam quarterfinals.
“Right now I’m looking at this like a wasted opportunity,” said de Minaur. “It’s tough.”
Auger-Aliassime was one point from trailing two sets to none when de Minaur led 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker. But Auger-Aliassime erased that set point with a 120 mph ace. That began a run in which he grabbed four of five points to even the contest at a set apiece.
“Just a lot of nerves today, during the whole match. It wasn't pretty at all times,” Auger-Aliassime said during his on-court interview in Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can to stand here, right now."
This is the first time Auger-Aliassime has eliminated three seeded players during a single major, adding this victory over No. 8 de Minaur to wins against No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the third round and No. 15 Andrey Rublev in the fourth.
Sinner beat No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the first all-Italian matchup in a men’s major quarterfinal. He is into his fifth straight Grand Slam semifinal. In the women's quarterfinals, Amanda Anisimova upset Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 in a rematch of the Wimbledon final won by Swiatek 6-0, 6-0 less than two months ago. Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka beat Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-6 (3) at night to remain unbeaten when she reaches the quarterfinal stage of a major tournament.
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, reacts after defeating Lorenzo Musetti, of Italy, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts during a match against Karolina Muchova, of the Czech Republic, at the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, hugs Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, after Anisimova defeated Swiatek during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, reacts after defeating Iga Swiatek, of Poland, in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Alex de Minaur, of Australia, returns a shot to Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, reacts after defeating Alex de Minaur, of Australia, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, reacts after defeating Alex de Minaur, of Australia, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s presidential election was plagued by widespread delays Thursday in addition to a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986.
Some polling stations remained closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7 a.m. start time due to “technical challenges," according to the nation's electoral commission, which asked polling officers to use paper registration records to ensure the difficulties did not “disenfranchise any voter.”
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change.
The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls were expected to close at 4 p.m., but voting was extended one hour until 5 p.m. local time. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours.
In the morning, impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala.
“We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said.
Wine, the candidate, alleged electoral fraud, noting that biometric voter identification machines were not working at polling places and claiming that there was “ballot stuffing.”
Wine wrote in a post on X that his party's leaders had been arrested. “Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations,” the post said.
Museveni told journalists he was notified that biometric machines weren't working at some stations and that he supported the electoral body's decision to revert to paper registration records. He did not comment on allegations of fraud.
Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours.
Nganda said the delays likely would lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support. "It’s going to be chaos,” he said.
Nicholas Sengoba, an independent analyst and newspaper columnist, said delays to the start of voting in urban, opposition areas favored the ruling party.
Emmanuel Tusiime, a young man who was among dozens prevented from entering a polling station in Kampala past closing time said the officials had prevented him from participating.
“My vote has not been counted, and, as you can see, I am not alone," he said he was left feeling “very disappointed.”
Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.
Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago.
The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and possible vote tampering.
Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking.
There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week.
Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person.
Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday.
“You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said.
The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote.
“Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right."
Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.”
Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.
Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, right, greets election observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at his home in Magere village on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)
Billboards of Uganda President and National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni are seen in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Samson Otieno)
Electoral workers deliver ballot boxes to a polling station during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Voters are reflected in a police officer's sunglasses as they wait in line after voting failed to start on time due to system failures during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Voters wait to cast their ballots during the presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
