Deflated by his latest exit at the Australian Open, Alex de Minaur knows there is only one option if he wants to close the gap with the world’s best tennis players and challenge for a first grand slam title.
De Minaur was reminded how far he still has to go when a thrilling start to his quarter-final against world number one Carlos Alcaraz turned into an all-too-familiar nightmare.
The 26-year-old was competitive early on, raising local fans’ hopes of disappointment, but was ultimately outclassed in a 7-5 6-2 6-1 defeat at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night.
‘You just have to keep moving. That is the only way,” de Minaur said.
“I mean, as hard as it is when you get results like that, you get back up, you get back on the horse, and that’s it.”
De Minaur has lost his first seven Grand Slam quarter-finals and is the third man in the open era to do so, after Andrey Rublev and Tommy Robredo.
He reached the last eight at Melbourne Park for the first time a year ago, when he was defeated by Jannik Sinner, who was then on his way to a second straight AO crown.
In the aftermath, De Minaur reached a career-high position as world number six and retained his top 10 ranking for most of last year.
But frustratingly, he remains a level below Alcaraz and Sinner, with a combined record of 0-19 against the two big guns.
‘It doesn’t feel great’
Tuesday’s defeat was his sixth in as many meetings with Alcaraz.
“It doesn’t feel great, I can tell you that,” de Minaur said.
“You try to do the right things, you try to keep improving.
“But if the results don’t materialize or the score doesn’t reflect these improvements, then of course you feel quite deflated.”
Alex de Minaur (left) said he would try to improve after his loss to Carlos Alcaraz (right). Source: AP / Dita Alakara
There is no encouragement to be taken from the archives of Rublev and Robredo. The latter’s seventh quarter-final in 2013 was also his last, now that the Spaniard has retired.
Rublev, 28, is still playing and is ranked 14th in the world, but the Russian has now reached 10 quarter-finals without progressing, most recently at the Australian Open two years ago.
De Minaur was not without his moments against Alcaraz.
He fought back from 3-0 down in the first set to level the score, at one point hitting an outrageous backhand winner in the air.
“There were some good parts, but overall I’m playing out of my comfort zone and sometimes out of my skin,” de Minaur said.
“To take that next step, I obviously have to feel comfortable playing this way for the entire match.
“That’s what it takes, you know, to take it to the next level, especially against guys like this.”
Alcaraz, who is still alive in his quest to complete a career grand slam this tournament, said de Minaur faces a difficult challenge.
But the six-time major winner felt he had the upper hand against the Australian in their final clash.
“When he plays against the best or the best player, he tries to be more aggressive, which sometimes is just out of his comfort zone,” Alcaraz said.
“That’s why we sometimes see him miss very easy balls.
“I notice that and we know how to approach the match, because then we are one step ahead.”
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