de Minaur finally steps up at a Masters
Australia’s Alex de Minaur has been an underachiever at Masters level tournaments, but he has finally had a breakthrough moment.
After defeating top-ten player Taylor Fritz in the third round, he has backed that up with a victory over Daniil Medvedev to reach the semifinals for the first time at this level.
He had previously only managed to reach the round of 16 on multiple occasions.
The top-ranked Australian also hasn’t set the world on fire at the Grand Slams, his stand out effort being a quarterfinal berth at the 2020 US Open.
Against the world no. 3 and second seeded Medvedev, de Minaur came from 2-5 in the first set, saving three set points in the tie-break before clinching the opener. He then twice rallied from a break down in the second set to hand just the fourth hard-court defeat of the season to Medvedev, who was the champion in Toronto in 2021.
de Minaur is in good form on the hard courts after claiming the ATP500 title in Acapulco earlier this year, and reaching the final last week in Los Cabos.
Next he will face Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a place in the final. The path to the title has been made easier after Tommy Paul defeated world no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
“I know every time I play Daniil it will be a chess match. We are both very good at adapting and playing different styles and it brings the best out of me. I have to be aggressive and take the chances I get. I think this style of tennis is my best style of tennis.”