Alex de Minaur was wounded in the aftermath of his latest fourth-round exit from the Australian Open.
After failing to win a set in his previous two round-of-16 losses at Melbourne Park to Jannik Sinner then Novak Djokovic, this time was different – and not just because of the opponent.
Alex de Minaur dug deep against Andrey Rublev in the fourth round of the Australian Open, but it wasn’t enough.Credit: Eddie Jim
De Minaur weathered big-hitting Russian Andrey Rublev’s early storm and absorbed extraordinarily high pressure and intensity to be within striking distance of the quarter-finals at two-sets-to-one up.
Australian tennis’ standard-bearer fronted the media afterwards believing he had physically beaten Rublev at that point of the match, making his eventual five-set defeat even tougher to swallow.
We saw de Minaur’s girlfriend, British player Katie Boulter, attempt to console him in an emotion-charged peek behind the scenes while he warmed down on an exercise bike, followed by him burying his head in a towel.
The 24-year-old will need to wait to join the Australian Open’s Last Eight Club, but the evidence is irrefutable that de Minaur’s upgraded, emboldened game has made him a force on the ATP Tour.
No longer, or at least not as much, will the tour’s top dogs bully him across the court or wipe him “like a windscreen from side to side”, as Australian great Wally Masur put it pre-tournament.
De Minaur still did plenty of chasing on Sunday night, and that will remain a strength throughout his career, but what’s changed is he does his share of dictating now, too.
‘Night and day a different player’: Why the future is bright for de Minaur
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21.01.2024
Alex de Minaur was wounded in the aftermath of his latest fourth-round exit from the Australian Open.
After failing to win a set in his previous two round-of-16 losses at Melbourne Park to Jannik Sinner then Novak Djokovic, this time was different – and not just because of the opponent.
Alex de Minaur dug deep against Andrey Rublev in the fourth round of the Australian Open, but it wasn’t........
© The Sydney Morning Herald
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