By Ian Chadband
Alex de Minaur, for so long a “nearly man” of world tennis, has earned a major career breakthrough by defeating former world No.1 Daniil Medvedev in an epic affair at the Paris Masters.
The Sydneysider, who has built an excellent career while always seemingly coming up just short against the true elite, earned his first-ever victory over a top-five ranked player at the 19th attempt with his thrilling 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 victory over the Russian.
De Minaur had lost all his previous four encounters with the world No.3 — including two matches in which he had won the first set — and it looked as if history would repeat itself on Wednesday on the Bercy hard courts as Medvedev fought back to take a 2-0 lead in the decider.
But De Minaur, ever the battler, regrouped, went on the offensive after what had been a remarkable cat-and-mouse affair studded by lengthy, probing rallies, and eventually looked, mentally and physically, stronger than the former world No.1.
Twenty times De Minaur came to the net in the final stanza and, ultimately, Medvedev, who had also been rattled in the first set after a grumble over a line call and getting whistled by the Parisian crowd, lost his nerve and finally cracked.
He served two double faults in the final game, the second of which gifted the 23-year-old Australian victory after a draining but wholly absorbing two hours and 46 minutes.
Alex De Minaur celebrates one of his biggest-ever wins in Paris.Credit: Getty
The Russian ended up smashing his racquet into the court amid a chorus of jeers from his Parisian audience who had already enjoyed baiting him during the contest - but he was quick to congratulate his never-say-die conqueror at the net.
The world No.25 de Minaur will take back his Australia No.1 spot from Nick Kyrgios if he wins his next match, a last-16 contest on Thursday against American Frances Tiafoe, the world No.21 who defeated rising Briton Jack Draper 6-3, 7-5.
“I just wanted to wait for the 19th game - why do it in the first 18, eh?” De Minaur smiled in a post-match interview with Tennis Channel as he pondered his long quest to beat a top-five player.
“I knew it was going to be a tough battle. He’s an incredibly tough opponent. I knew what to expect and I’m glad I played a very tactical match out there.”
De Minaur’s win over the former world No.1 was his first against a player ranked in the world’s top five.Credit: Getty
Indeed, De Minaur was the more willing to change his game when he needed, and his last-set aggression quite unfazed Medvedev after some earlier chess-like exchanges which ended on several occasions to 30-plus stroke rallies, and, on one occasion, to 43.
But in a battle of two natural counter-punchers, it was De Minaur who dared to more often venture out of his comfort zone, winning 25 points at the net.
“When you’re playing Daniil you’ve got to find a very fine balance between being solid and being aggressive,” De Minaur said. “Obviously, we all know what he can do with his passing shots and with his movement around the court. I just tried to wait for the right ball and just back myself and back my volleys.”
Later, world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz sailed into the third round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka, blasting 30 winners, while Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) winner over Swede Mikael Ymer, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Dan Evans 6-3, 6-4, also progressed.
AAP
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