Alex De Minaur maintained Australian pride at the Australian Open by defeating emerging American Alex Michelsen 6-0 7-6(5) 6-3, securing a spot in the quarter-finals for the first time on Monday.
The 25-year-old has now advanced to the final eight in every Grand Slam and will now face top-seeded and defending champion Jannik Sinner for a chance to reach the semi-finals. Initially, eighth-seeded De Minaur appeared poised to dominate the night match on Rod Laver Arena, winning the first eight games. However, Michelsen, known for his power, rallied back after a lackluster start, forcing De Minaur to fight for every point. In the second set tiebreak, Michelsen made a strong comeback and even took a 5-4 lead. However, De Minaur managed to escape with an exceptional passing shot, securing a two-set advantage. In the third set, Michelsen’s game faltered once again, allowing De Minaur to calmly take a 5-3 lead. Despite a few shaky moments when serving for the match, De Minaur successfully saved a break point, ultimately pleasing the home fans by getting the job done.
“This means the world to me, guys. I have a great love for you all,” De Minaur expressed on the court. “There is nothing I desire more than to perform well here in Australia. I’m delighted to have finally made it to the quarter-finals, but now let’s aim for even bigger and better achievements. Come on!” Michelsen represents a new fearless generation of young players in men’s tennis. He has already defeated 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 19th seed Karen Khachanov on his way to the round of 16. However, his chances of advancing to the quarter-finals alongside fellow Americans Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton were undermined by a disastrous start that allowed De Minaur to claim the first set. De Minaur had a commanding lead of 6-0 2-0 and even had opportunities to break Michelsen’s serve in the second set before Michelsen suddenly found his rhythm. De Minaur almost paid the price for failing to control his opponent when he served a double fault, enabling Michelsen to break back and level the score at 5-5 in the second set.
Michelsen appeared increasingly threatening, but he will surely regret missing a straightforward volley when leading 2-1 in the tiebreak. Furthermore, his failure to win a rally that he dominated at 5-4, where De Minaur executed a brilliant forehand winner across the net, added to his frustration. In response, De Minaur delivered an ace to secure set point, and Michelsen’s subsequent error gifted him a two-set advantage. Remaining composed in the third set, the Australian, cheered on by his fiancée Katie Boulter, seized the pivotal service break in the sixth game with a forehand winner. Reflecting on the match, De Minaur acknowledged missed opportunities in the second set that could have allowed him to establish a commanding lead. However, Michelsen elevated his performance, making it a challenging encounter.
To keep Australia’s hopes alive for their first male champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976, De Minaur will need to overcome tournament favorite Sinner in the next round. Unfortunately for him, history is not on his side as he has previously lost all of his matches against the Italian player. Nevertheless, De Minaur remains optimistic about the upcoming challenge and sees it as an opportunity to achieve something he has never done before.
