Alex de Minaur, 24, seventh in the ATP world standings, fresh off winning the Vienna Open the past weekend. This win solidifies him enough to leapfrog Ben Shelton into sixth place. The added Australian tennis star showed his toughness and talent, taking out Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinals. De Minaur’s eyes now turn to a significant challenge: facing Jannik Sinner, who has historically dominated their matchups.
In an epic fourth-round encounter at the Wiener Stadthalle, de Minaur showed just how much he loves to play in hot-water situations. He was utterly ruthless in dismissing Berrettini 6-1, 7-6 (7/4). This victory is an important step in his path toward the ATP Finals in Turin. This victory is further illustration of de Minaur’s huge confidence and form at the moment. It gets him much closer to getting a higher bad-to-good ratio ranking.
A Hard-Fought Victory
Just like in the first set against Berrettini, de Minaur took charge from the get-go, breaking early and cruising through the tiebreak decisively. After all, he was at one point up 6-2 showing all that polish, shotmaking and poise that made him an early favorite. That second set turned out to be the trickier one.
Despite his lead, de Minaur’s level faltered as Berrettini’s booming game proved resurgent, seeing him break back on two occasions. Our Australian was under great duress when she was serving at 5-3 in the 2nd set. He managed to survive a match point against him, illustrating his tenacity and fighting spirit.
De Minaur finished the job, albeit a white-knuckle one at the end. After wasting a few match points, he eventually secured the victory with his 21st winner—his 21st ace, to be exact.
“I’m always ready, mate. I stay ready.” – Alex de Minaur
Facing Sinner: A Long-standing Rivalry
With this victory secured, de Minaur now faces an even greater challenge against Jannik Sinner. De Minaur has never beaten the Italian and come off second best in all 11 previous match-ups. For the Australian, this newly announced combat is unusually significant.
In their last encounter in Beijing last month, de Minaur took a huge career-first step against the Pole. It was just his first set won in five years against Sinner. That experience will be put to good use as he faces this new challenge in Vienna.
This rare first-time matchup will test de Minaur’s resolve. It provides perhaps their best chance to rewrite the trajectory of their ever-intensifying rivalry.
“Alex is playing some great tennis. It was close in Beijing and it’s going to be a tough, physical test.” – Jannik Sinner
As a result, De Minaur’s largely stellar year this far has only further cemented his place as one of the major challengers on the hard-court circuit. That’s a huge accomplishment, as he’s only earned 40 hard courts wins this season. This success further raises his rankings berth and creates added momentum as he enters the final competitions of the year.
Path to the ATP Finals
As he seeks the glory of the ATP Finals, de Minaur’s most recent wins leave his qualification feeling all but guaranteed. His confidence in high-pressure situations, as seen in his semifinal win over Berrettini, makes him a strong contender to take home his first title.
As he approaches the ATP Finals, de Minaur’s recent victories have made his qualification increasingly assured. His ability to handle pressure situations, as evidenced in the match against Berrettini, positions him well for future success.
