By Marc McGowan
The intrinsic link between Alex de Minaur and Lleyton Hewitt grows ever closer.
The country’s new tennis torchbearer on Tuesday became the first Australian to reach three consecutive grand slam quarter-finals in the same year since former world No.1 and dual major champion Hewitt two decades ago.
Alex de Minaur (right) beat fellow Australian Jordan Thompson in four sets to make the US Open quarter-finals.Credit: Getty Images
In doing so, de Minaur ended close friend Jordan Thompson’s US Open run in the fourth round, jumping out of the blocks before securing a roller-coaster 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium to again be the last Australian standing.
The 25-year-old rallied from a 3-1 fourth-set deficit to his fellow Sydneysider, and the disappointment of handing over a second break later in the set, to earn a last-eight shot at emerging British left-hander Jack Draper.
“I’ve got so much respect for ‘Thommo’. We’ve grown up together, [and] he’s been like a big brother to me, so I really appreciate everything he’s done for me,” de Minaur said. “He’s a hell of a competitor, my Davis Cup teammate, and I can’t wait to share the court many, many times with him.”
De Minaur continues to shake the rust from having almost seven weeks off the singles court recovering from the hip injury that cost him the chance to face Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon quarter-finals in July, after his stunning run to the same stage at Roland-Garros.
He has repeatedly credited girlfriend and fellow tennis star Katie Boulter for giving him greater life perspective, commenting again after beating Thompson that he no longer purely associates happiness with winning tennis matches, while his body is slowly returning to full fitness.
From his four wins at Flushing Meadows, De Minaur conceded a set against Marcos Giron, Dan Evans and Thompson, and was 5-2 down in the first set against Finn Otto Virtanen.
However, 2022 winner Carlos Alcaraz’s shock second-round defeat means 10th-seeded de Minaur has never had a better chance to reach his maiden major semi-final, although Draper is in menacing form and yet to drop a set.
“It’s been a whirlwind. The last seven, eight weeks, I’ve dealt with a lot of emotions, a lot of experiences that have taken a big chunk of my energy and resources,” De Minaur said.
“Coming in, I didn’t have too many expectations. The hip wasn’t close to 100 per cent – it wasn’t feeling amazing. I was just going to go out there and see what I was able to do, and slowly, it’s been feeling better and better each day.
“All of a sudden, [after] everything [that] has happened with the draw – a lot of upsets – you’re staring at this opportunity. In a way, it’s been a blessing in disguise because I haven’t put too much pressure on myself because I know how I felt with my hip … hopefully I’m peaking for the right moment.”
De Minaur has won all three clashes to date with Draper, but remains wary.
“We’ve never played in a grand slam, best-of-five [sets], so it’s a completely different ball game,” de Minaur said. “He’s been playing some great tennis all-year round, so I’m expecting a battle. He’s very tricky. I’m going to do my best, I’m going to compete my heart out, and we’ll see what happens.”
De Minaur had to work hard to scrape past Thompson in a rollercoaster fourth-round clash.Credit: AP
Thompson went a step further, saying de Minaur would “die trying to win this tournament”.
Hewitt has been a constant presence at all the Australian men’s matches, but opted to watch this one from elsewhere, given two countrymen were facing off.
Australia’s Davis Cup captain has developed a strong bond with de Minaur but also helped Thompson earlier this fortnight, when the latter’s coach, Marinko Matosevic, had a match clash with his other pupil, Chris O’Connell, who bowed out in the third round.
Little went right in the first set for Thompson, who committed nine unforced errors – some of them elementary misses – in a nerve-jangling start before belatedly striking a winner off his backhand in the fourth game.
The 30-year-old, enjoying a career-best season complete with his maiden ATP singles title, had not been to even the third round of a major in almost three years and only once previously to the last 16, at the 2020 US Open.
That lack of big-match experience, perhaps, explains Thompson’s tardy opening, which left him chasing his higher-ranked rival.
It was not lights-out tennis from de Minaur either, evidenced by Australia’s No.1 making only 29 per cent of his first serves – less than half his season average – as he raced to a one-set lead without dropping a game.
Matosevic provided a running commentary from courtside, urging his charge to up the ante and get to the net wherever possible.
Thompson had a slow start, but was in the match until deep into the fourth set.Credit: AP
The problem in the first set was Thompson struggled to land enough shots to follow those instructions, and those he did rarely had the depth required to challenge de Minaur, but his service hold to begin the second set finally enabled him to gain a foothold.
He suddenly began dictating some points, which allowed him to venture to the net more often and use the volleying skills that served him well in reaching this year’s Wimbledon doubles final with Max Purcell.
Thompson’s first serve, arguably his biggest weapon, also became a factor, and that confidence flowed to his return game.
De Minaur unexpectedly dropped serve from 40-15 to fall 4-2 down, with Thompson playing some of his sharpest tennis of the match, including a spectacular inside-in forehand winner to bring up break point before knocking off a volley to take his first lead.
The third set was de Minaur’s best.
He went into lockdown mode and first challenged Thompson’s serve in the fourth game, only for a stroke of luck to aid the world No.32, whose hat fell off chasing a de Minaur lob at 30-all, which caused the point to be replayed.
Thompson could not escape two games later, handing over the break, and was never able to make inroads on the serve of de Minaur, who won all bar one of his 15 first-serve points.
The seesawing contest swung again in the fourth game of the fourth set, when de Minaur double-faulted to slip 3-1 behind, only for Thompson to shank a forehand and give it right back the next game.
De Minaur must defeat Jack Draper to book his first grand slam semi-final.Credit: nna\damien.mccartney
The finish line was in sight when de Minaur broke again, but he, too, stumbled, with two more double faults before a superb Thompson lob helped him knot the set at four-all. Thompson’s dogged performance continued in the following game, where he fought back from 0-40 to hold, after which came a vigorous celebration.
But it always seemed as if Thompson was just hanging on, and an over-hit volley gave de Minaur his first chance to serve out the match.
Even then, what came next was not straightforward as de Minaur’s seventh double fault slumped him to 15-30, but an ace earned him a match point before another unreturned serve sealed the deal.
Thompson will make his top-30 debut next week, and he hopes the best may still be ahead for him.
“It’s a great tournament. Three straight-sets wins, over quality players as well – I beat Hubi [Hurkacz] and Matteo [Arnaldi],” Thompson said. “I just ran into a tough opponent today … there’s no doubt the best tennis I’ve played in my career is this year, so hopefully I can keep improving.”
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