Australian Open: Alex De Minaur Reaches Quarterfinals
Melbourne: Alex De Minaur kept the home flag flying at the Australian Open as he beat rising American Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time today.
A Strong Start, a Tough Finish
De Minaur threatened to run away with the match after winning the opening eight games, but Michelsen, 20, recovered from a lacklustre start to make it a tough contest. The 25-year-old De Minaur won the first set 6-0, but Michelsen, who had already beaten 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 19th seed Karen Khachanov, came back to make it a two-set contest.
A Close Second Set
The second set was a nail-biter, with Michelsen leading 5-4 in the tiebreak before De Minaur escaped with an inspired passing shot, helping him forge a two-set lead. The Australian’s composure under pressure was evident as he calmly moved 5-3 ahead in the third set.
A Decisive Third Set
De Minaur served an ace to reach set point, and a Michelsen error then gave him a two-set lead. The Australian, cheered on by his fiancée Katie Boulter, stayed composed in the third set and a forehand winner earned him the decisive service break in the sixth game.
A New Generation of Players
Michelsen, one of a new generation of fearless youngsters in the men’s game, had already shown his potential, but his hopes of joining fellow Americans Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals were undermined by a terrible start that gifted De Minaur the opening set.
The Road Ahead
De Minaur will now face top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, a tough test for the Australian. The omens are not good for him to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal, as he has lost all of his previous clashes against Italian Sinner. However, De Minaur remains optimistic, saying, "I’m looking forward to it, I’m going to have to do something that I haven’t done before but why not start here."
Conclusion
Alex De Minaur’s victory is a significant one for Australian tennis, and he will be looking to make it to the semifinals for the first time. With a tough match against Jannik Sinner ahead, De Minaur will need to be at his best to make history and bring the first male champion to Australia since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
FAQs
- Who did Alex De Minaur beat to reach the quarterfinals?
- He beat Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3.
- Who will De Minaur face in the quarterfinals?
- Top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner.
- Has De Minaur ever beaten Jannik Sinner before?
- No, he has lost all of his previous clashes against Italian Sinner.