Australian Open: De Minaur Advances to Quarter-Finals, Faces Sinner Next

Alex de Minaur defeated Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals, keeping Australian hopes alive for a first male champion since 1976.

Alex de Minaur kept the Australian hopes alive at the Australian Open, defeating American rising star Alex Michelsen 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3 on Monday. This victory marked de Minaur's first quarter-final appearance at the Australian Open.

De Minaur, seeded eighth, dominated the opening stages of the match, winning the first eight games. However, Michelsen regained his composure and mounted a strong comeback, pushing de Minaur to a tiebreaker in the second set. Michelsen led 5-4 in the tiebreaker but de Minaur conjured up an impressive passing shot to take the set.

The third set saw Michelsen's errors resurface, allowing de Minaur to take a 5-3 lead. As de Minaur served for the match, he faced a break point but managed to compose himself and secure the win, much to the delight of the home crowd.

An ecstatic de Minaur expressed his gratitude to the Australian fans, saying, “This means the world, I love you guys.” With this victory, de Minaur has now reached the quarter-finals in the last four Grand Slams. He will face top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.

Alex de Minaur's victory over Alex Michelsen has propelled him to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, a feat he has been eager to achieve. “There is nothing I want more than to play well here in Australia. Glad I finally made it to the quarter-finals here but yeah let's go for bigger and better things, come on!” De Minaur's determination and enthusiasm were evident throughout the match.

Michelsen, part of a new generation of fearless youngsters in men's tennis, had already made a statement by defeating 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 19th seed Karen Khachanov en route to the last 16. However, his hopes of joining fellow Americans Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals were compromised by a dismal start, which gifted De Minaur the opening set 6-0.

De Minaur's dominance continued in the second set, leading 2-0 and having opportunities for a double break. However, Michelsen eventually regained his footing and began to push back. The American broke back to level the set at 5-5, capitalizing on a De Minaur double fault. Michelsen's resurgence continued in the tiebreaker, but he ultimately fell short, missing an easy volley and failing to win a rally he dominated.

De Minaur seized the opportunity, delivering a forehand winner to take the set. He then served an ace to reach set point, and a Michelsen error sealed the two-set lead for De Minaur. The Australian's momentum carried into the third set, where he secured a 6-3 victory, advancing to the quarter-finals where he will face top seed Jannik Sinner.

No. Way. Through 🙅

Alex de Minaur just out here doing what Alex de Minaur does! 🇦🇺@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/QS1NHKrSvW

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2025

De Minaur's Path to History

Alex de Minaur remained composed in the third set, securing the decisive service break in the sixth game with a precise forehand winner. His fiancée, Katie Boulter, was in attendance, cheering him on. De Minaur reflected on the match, saying, “I had my opportunities in the second set to maybe run away with that one as well but he raised his level and made it a tough match. That second set was pivotal.”

Dominant Demon.

Alex de Minaur takes the opening set 6-0 against Michelsen! 🇦🇺#AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/EIiLhmbv9N

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2025

De Minaur's victory keeps Australia's hopes alive for a first male champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976. However, his next challenge will be formidable, as he faces tournament favorite Jannik Sinner. Historically, the odds are against de Minaur, as he has lost all previous encounters with the Italian Sinner. Undaunted, de Minaur expressed his eagerness for the matchup, saying, “I'm looking forward to it, I'm going to have to do something that I haven't done before but why not start here.”