Alex de Minaur still believes he is good enough to win a grand slam despite his demoralising defeat to Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, which he described as a slap to the face. The Italian took just 108 minutes to end the Australian’s best run at Melbourne Park on Wednesday night, prevailing 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.
“You feel like you just have been slapped across the face, to be honest, to finish off like that,” De Minaur said, adding that it made it worse that it was in front of a large crowd at Rod Laver Arena. “If anything, it’s frustrating that I can’t do it. I’m doing my best, but I can’t make it into even a match where the crowd can get behind and start supporting.”
The Australian was broken six times by the world No 1 and won just 10 points on the Sinner serve. In 10 meetings between the pair, the Italian has won every one going back to 2019.
“It’s been too many times playing him and seeing the same thing, so I’m not even surprised any more when I face him. Matches like these happen,” De Minaur said, using the words “bloody good” to describe his opponent. “With the conditions a little bit slower and a little bit later at night, it’s pretty tough to make him miss or hurt him.”
De Minaur will retain his top 10 ranking after the Australian Open, where he reached the quarter-finals for the first time. But he has now been eliminated at that stage at each of the past four grand slams, and he admits he still doesn’t have the answers against top players.
“I just need to sit with my team and figure out a way to hurt Jannik on the court, that’s ultimately the way we’ve got to look at it and find different ways because at the moment we don’t have it,” he said. “So back to the drawing board, like I’ve done my whole career.”
The Italian said every match was different and momentum could swing, but he felt like he was as ready he could be for the challenge of the mobile Australian. “I always have to expect something different from him. You know, every time we play, you never know what’s coming. So I have to be very prepared for every single thing,” he said. “Today I was prepared.”
The 25-year-old Australian – who recovered from a hip injury last year and described himself as in peak physical condition in this tournament – said he still believes he can win a grand slam title. “Right now my worst matchup on tour is probably Jannik, there’s a head-to-head that doesn’t lie, right?” De Minaur said.
“If I’m in a different side of the draw, different little section, then who knows? I genuinely think I’m going to give myself opportunities, and I don’t think my peak is making quarter-finals in a slam. I see other players that have made it further, have made semis, have made finals, and I do believe that I can be amongst them. If they have been able to accomplish that, then why not me?”
