Aussie tennis sensation Alex De Minaur, is setting his sights on a coveted spot in the men’s singles quarterfinals in this year’s US Open following a remarkable display of tennis prowess in a third-round clash against the 23rd seed, Nicolas Jarry.
De Minaur, whose star has been steadily rising, is currently basking in his most impressive Flushing Meadows performance since his breakout year in 2020.
With a captivating blend of tenacity and flair, he now finds himself locked in a fourth-round showdown against none other than World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev.
On Saturday, September 2, the 13th seed lived up to his moniker as the “Demon” with a relentless game that saw him cruise to victory in straight sets, with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, booking his place in the coveted Round 4.
De Minaur showcased his on-court excellence, committing a mere 10 unforced errors while unleashing 10 winners during the brisk one-hour-and-45-minute match. His precision and consistency proved too much for Jarry.
De Minaur set the tone from the get-go, capitalising on three breaks of serve to swiftly claim the first set in under 30 minutes. In this opening frame, the Aussie’s game was virtually flawless, with just two unforced errors and a perfect record on points won behind his first serve.
By the one-hour mark, De Minaur had surged to a commanding two-set lead, demonstrating his unwavering determination to maintain the momentum.
In the third set’s second game, Jarry finally earned his first breakpoint opportunity of the match, seizing on some uncharacteristic errors from de Minaur. However, the Aussie swiftly erased the threat and raced ahead 2-0. Jarry soon found himself trailing 1-5, and although De Minaur faced a hiccup, squandering three match points on his serve, he regrouped to close out the match on the fourth opportunity.
In a masterful performance, De Minaur showcased his prowess and secured a well-deserved spot in Round 4, leaving fans eager to see how far he can go in the thrilling US Open tournament.
As De Minaur edges closer to a spot in the US Open 2023 men’s singles quarterfinals, he will need to get past Medvedev who is known to thrive in New York, where he has won 24 of his past 27 matches. This includes his title-winning run in 2021.
“He’s an extreme kind of counter-puncher, a defensive specialist who finds ways to bait opponents into playing the game style he wants,” De Minaur said of his upcoming opponent.
“He’s an extremely good tactician and you know whenever you play him you have got to be ready for an absolute chess battle.
“I haven’t played him in a major yet. So this is going to be a new experience for both of us.”
De Minaur is expecting their fourth-round showdown “to be a long match”.
“I’m sure there’s going to be chances both ways. It’s about who just sticks around and fights to the end and finds a way,” De Minaur said.
“I am expecting an absolute battle.”