Driven so far back in the court as he was by Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur could have pruned the geraniums at the edge of Court Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday, June 5. The German’s deep, heavy forehand finally broke the Australian, who was soundly beaten by the world number 4 on Paris clay (6-4, 7-6, 6-4) in just under three hours.
For de Minaur’s first quarter-final at Roland-Garros – something that hasn’t happened for an Australian player since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 – the world number 11 didn’t disappoint. Once again, he demonstrated the relentless defense that has earned him the nickname “Demon.” Just like in the 4-3 break against him in the second set, where he put away a Zverev smash, before sliding a drop shot and perfectly adjusting a lob, ambushing the German. Then, a few minutes later at 5-5, he was initially lobbed at the net by his elder but managed to return the ball with a backhand slice and ended up winning the point. He even had the chance to level the score at one set all.
Unfortunately, despite his eye for detail, his attempts to chop off his opponent’s legs with backhand slices, and his well-intentioned forehand accelerations, the 1.80 m (69 kg) right-hander was no match for Zverev’s power on serve and at the back of the court – his tennis DNA. The German qualified for his fourth straight semi-final on the Parisian center court. As in 2023, he will face Casper Ruud – the Norwegian had eliminated him at this stage last year– who benefited from Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal.
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On the court, Alex Corretja was quick to congratulate the winner, showering him with compliments: “Good job! Your work ethic is a fine example for all players on the circuit, and here you are again in the semi-finals of the tournament. We see you smiling, it’s not just tennis, it’s also from the heart,” said the two-time finalist in Paris (1998 and 2001). “This sport has given me everything in life (…), so if I can give something back to the spectators… When I see joy on their faces, that’s my reward,” replied the relieved world number 4.
The recent winner of the Rome tournament, a title that propelled him to the top of the rankings, had been on a knife-edge since the third round, when he scraped past Tallon Griekspoor (3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6). In the last 16, he once again had his back against the wall against Denmark’s Holger Rune (4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2). The public could have held it against him to have knocked out the idol Rafael Nadal in the first round. Not so. The German received a standing ovation after his victory over Griekspoor, and you had to listen carefully to hear a few whistles amidst the applause after his win over Rune.
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