Over the past couple of years, Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur has come up short when facing tougher opponents in the fourth round of the Australian Open. However, this year, he believes he is in the best position yet to overcome his past struggles and make it further into the tournament. With a newfound confidence and a favorable draw, de Minaur is determined to break his personal barrier and reach the quarterfinals.
In both the 2022 and 2021 editions of the Australian Open, de Minaur met an early exit at the fourth-round stage. He was beaten in straight sets by Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, respectively. These defeats have left de Minaur frustrated, as he believes he was unable to showcase his true potential in those matches. However, he is determined to learn from those experiences and perform at his best this year.
Despite his past disappointments at the Australian Open, de Minaur has made significant progress in the world rankings. He currently sits at No. 10, an impressive achievement that demonstrates his growth as a player. This rise in rankings has provided him with more confidence and belief in his abilities to compete against higher-ranked opponents.
One advantage de Minaur has in this year’s Australian Open is the amount of rest he has had during the early rounds. His first-round match against Milos Raonic lasted only two sets and two games before the Canadian retired hurt. He then comfortably won his next two matches against Matteo Arnaldi and Flavio Cobolli, both in straight sets. This minimal exertion and quick progression through the early rounds have left de Minaur feeling fresher than ever at this stage of the tournament.
De Minaur recognizes the importance of the first week of a Grand Slam as a period to find his rhythm and gradually improve his performance. He believes that the second week is when the real challenge begins and the matches against higher-ranked opponents become more intense. With this mindset, de Minaur is eager to continue his momentum into the second week and showcase his best tennis.
De Minaur has faced Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev five times on the professional tour, holding a 3-2 advantage in their head-to-head record. They met twice in 2023, with de Minaur winning in Rotterdam and Rublev emerging victorious in Paris. De Minaur recognizes Rublev’s immense firepower and deadly forehand as his biggest weapons. To counter this, de Minaur’s game plan will be to prevent Rublev from dictating the rallies and limit his opportunities to unleash his powerful forehand.
As Alex de Minaur prepares to take on Andrey Rublev in the fourth round of the Australian Open, he is filled with determination and confidence. Armed with a higher world ranking, a well-rested body, and the experience gained from his past struggles, de Minaur believes he is ready to break the fourth-round barrier and make it to the quarterfinals. With a focused game plan and a strong desire to perform at his best, de Minaur aims to continue his upward trajectory in the tournament and prove himself on the grand stage of the Australian Open.
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