“Demon advances to Open quarterfinals”
Alex de Minaur has decisively defeated 10th seed Alexander Bublik in a fourth-round match at the Australian Open, paving the way for a quarterfinal showdown against world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz.
The promising local talent delivered an impressive performance on Rod Laver Arena, overwhelming Bublik with a score of 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 in just one hour and 32 minutes. Bublik initially held his own against the world No.6 until late in the first set, when de Minaur seized complete control.
After committing a double fault on set point, Bublik faltered in the second set, allowing de Minaur to secure consecutive quarter-final berths at Melbourne Park. Not even two-time major champion Lleyton Hewitt achieved the feat of reaching the final eight twice at his home grand slam during his illustrious career.
From a 4-4 tie in the first set, de Minaur proceeded to win 14 of the following 16 games in a remarkable display. A visibly frustrated Bublik expressed his discontent to his team when he fell behind 5-1 in the second set, stating: “It’s the slowest court I’ve ever been on in my life.”
This commanding victory serves as sweet retribution for de Minaur, who was defeated by Bublik in the second round of last year’s French Open after leading by two sets.
“I was definitely thinking about the last two matches I played against him,” de Minaur noted, having also lost to Bublik at the Paris Masters last year.
“He’s extremely dangerous. He can hit winners from almost any position, disrupt the rhythm of the match, and make it as chaotic as possible.”
“I just needed to stay focused from the first point to the last, so it required a significant mental effort, and now onto the quarters. Mission accomplished.”
Tennis icon John McEnroe commented during the match that de Minaur had made his opponent appear “pedestrian.”
“This has to be one of the best matches he has ever played at this tournament,” McEnroe remarked about the 26-year-old.
“He should feel energized. He played exceptionally well!” De Minaur’s upcoming quarter-final match against Alcaraz is anticipated to be a pivotal moment in his career.
In six prior last-eight matches at grand slams, de Minaur has been outmatched in all of them, including a significant defeat by Jannik Sinner at last year’s Australian Open.
De Minaur holds a 0-5 record against Alcaraz, with the young Spaniard last defeating him in straight sets at the previous year’s ATP finals.
“I’m very pleased with my performance,” de Minaur stated.
“I feel like I’m executing everything I want on the court. I’m looking forward to the next match; it’s going to be a significant one. I need to come out ready to compete fiercely, and I’m eager for a challenge against Carlos.”
Source: espn.com
