By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 20, 2025
Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty
Home hero Alex de Minaur pulled the plug of Alex Michelsen Australian Open electric run.
Peedy de Minaur ran through eight straight games to produce a 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-3 thrashing of 20-year-old Michelsen to reach his first Australian Open quarter-final.
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World No 8 de Minaur is only the third Australian in the last 20 years to reach the last eight in Melbourne joining his Davis Cup captain. Lleyton Hewitt (2005) and Nick Kyrgios (2015) in achieving success.
The 25-year-old de Minaur advanced to his fourth consecutive quarter-final, becoming the eighth Australian in the Open Era to reach the quarter-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
Playing at night for the first time in this AO, Michelsen said he struggled to adjust to the slower conditions. Michelsen attributed his eight-game skid and static motion more to pitch conditions than nerves.
“I played during the day when it was hot every time, and then I played tonight, a little cooler. I felt the ball was coming at me a lot slower,” Michelsen told the media in Melbourne. “I wasn’t placing my feet properly. I think that was a big part of it.
“I was definitely a little nervous, but that’s not why I lost eight games in a row. I just couldn’t find my feet. Obviously playing a guy like Alex, who’s not going to give you anything for free. That’s always in the back of the head when the balls inflate quickly, you can not hit a daily session.
While Michelsen, who lost just five games beating de Minaur in their only previous match on hard court on a livelier court in Los Cabos last season, was clearly disappointed by the loss, he also takes pride in his best run at a Grand Slam.
At the tender age of 20, a dynamic Michelsen knocked out former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in his opening match before knocking out AO 2023 semi-finalist Karen Khachanov in the third round.
Dispensing difference de Minaur: the man nicknamed the Demon covered the yard faster than those two big forwards and was more accurate. De Minaur made 25 unforced errors, 25 less than Michelsen. De Minaur dominated despite serving an ugly 42 percent.
“I think Alex makes a lot more balls than all three guys I’ve played,” Michelsen said. “He doesn’t lose the ball, he doesn’t give me anything for free. I think his serve is weaker and I think that’s for him.
“I mean, he’s a lot faster than all of them, moves better. His backhand is absolute money. Don’t miss him. He was hitting his backhand line super well today.
“I didn’t expect that, honestly. But I knew he wasn’t going to hang with me in that rally because everyone knows my forehand is weaker. I’m going to change that.”
It has been a transformative tour for 20-year-old Michelsen, who joined his 19-year-old training partner and friend. Your student in creating fantastic round four races Down Under.
While Michelsen didn’t discuss his ranking goal for the rest of this season — it’s clear he’ll earn No. 1 status at the Slams if he continues to play at this level and strengthen his weaker forward — he sees Melbourne as a springboard for future success.
“I definitely have goals that I don’t want to say in a press conference, but I definitely have goals,” Michelsen said. “I don’t put too much pressure on myself in terms of ranking.
“I’m 20 years old. 36th in the world. I know it’s very good and I’m very happy with it now.”
