There was a certain purposefulness in the way Alex de Minaur appeared on the court and immediately attacked his final opponent Alex Auger Aliassime in the championship match of the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, an ATP 5000 level event.
Third time lucky, I’m super excited, super happy. In the end it was a great week here in Rotterdam. Alex de Minaur
Having reached the final the previous two years and failed to lift the trophy, the Australian was not about to miss this third opportunity as he eased past the in-form Canadian in his second final in seven days, 6-3 6-2 in 75 minutes.
The top seed produced his best performance of the week and put the second seed under pressure from the opening moments, finding the Canadian on the back from the moment he stepped up to serve, forcing him to save a break point at 1-1 in the opening 13 minutes of the match.
After proving his authority in the final, the Aussie No. 1 continued with crisp, clinical tennis without facing a break point.
De Minaur continued his momentum in the second set and broke again in the fifth game, stepping inside the baseline and dictating rallies with increased aggression.
He claimed a crucial break in the sixth game of the opening set – the first time the Canadian had dropped his serve in nine consecutive matches.
Shortly afterwards, Auger-Aliassime left the court for medical treatment and although the problem was not made public, De Minaur increased his aggression to win him over.
“That’s what it’s all about: just doing my best to rise to the occasion,” De Minaur said of his latest performance, which earned him his first indoor title.
“As the tournament goes on, you try to find solutions and give yourself the best chance to play better the next day, and that’s exactly what I did. I’m super happy with today’s performance.
He continued: “Third time lucky, I’m super excited, super happy. It ended up being a great week here in Rotterdam. It’s a place where I always feel good. In previous years I was just one step short, so it feels great to finally be able to take the title.”
Disappointment for Auger Aliassime was on an eight-match winning streak after clinching the title in Montpellier last week and was aiming for a ninth career indoor title, further cementing his reputation as one of the most dangerous players under one roof.
Alex de Minaur and Felix Auger-Aliassime shake hands after the final
(Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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