World No. 1 Jannik Sinner delivered a commanding performance to defeat Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in just 108 minutes. The Italian’s clinical display underscored his dominance and sent a clear warning to the remaining contenders as he looks to defend his Australian Open title.
De Minaur, affectionately known as “Demon,” reached his first-ever quarter-final at Melbourne Park and had the home crowd’s backing. However, his struggles with consistency, especially on his serve, left him outmatched against Sinner’s relentless power and precision.
Sinner, who has now beaten De Minaur 10 times in a row, expressed surprise at his own level of play, calling it one of his best performances. The Italian’s heavy groundstrokes overwhelmed De Minaur, a player renowned for his defensive prowess but unable to counter Sinner’s pace and aggression.
Despite adopting a more aggressive approach in the second set, De Minaur created only one break-point opportunity, which he failed to convert. The gap in quality became more apparent as Sinner cruised through the third set, breaking De Minaur three times in 30 minutes.
With this victory, Sinner became the first Italian player to reach multiple semi-finals at the Australian Open. His remarkable achievements in 2024, including two Grand Slam titles and eight ATP singles titles, make him a strong favorite for another triumph. He now faces American Ben Shelton in the semi-finals.
Speaking about the match-up, Sinner acknowledged Shelton’s strong left-handed serve and unique ball rotation, emphasizing the need to stay focused and replicate his stellar form.
For De Minaur, the loss was a painful reminder of past struggles at his home slam, but his consistent improvement over recent years suggests he will return stronger. As he left the court, the crowd’s support remained unwavering, even as Sinner’s brilliance stole the spotlight.
