De Minaur Shows Dominance, Advances to Fourth Round at Australian Open 2024

 Known for his speedy moves that earned him the nickname "Speed Demon," Alex de Minaur is showing his best game at the Australian Open 2024.

He smoothly sailed into the second week of the tournament with a clear victory over Flavio Cobolli at John Cain Arena. The No.1 Australian showcased his trademark skills of tenacity and athleticism, defeating the Italian qualifier in straight sets: 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. This win sets up a fourth-round clash with the fifth seed, Andrey Rublev.

De Minaur, in a serious tone, expressed his strong ambitions at his home Grand Slam, saying, “This is where the tournament really starts. This is where I want to be. The second week of Slams is when you start to play your real tennis. Hopefully, I can do that. Now the matches should be against better-ranked opponents. I’m looking forward to that.”

The Australian player took two hours and seven minutes to wear down Cobolli, who proved more formidable than his world No.100 ranking suggested. Despite Cobolli's powerful forehand, De Minaur controlled the match, breaking his opponent's serve early on and maintaining his composure throughout.

De Minaur acknowledged the significance of reaching the second week of a Grand Slam, stating, “I’ve always been told that the first week of a Slam is to get through however way you want to, and the second week is when you start to play your real tennis. Hopefully, I can do that. Now the matches … should be against better-ranked opponents. I’m looking forward to that.”

The turning point of the second set came in an epic third game, where De Minaur secured a crucial break to take a 2-1 lead. He maintained this advantage to close out the set. Cobolli's fatigue became apparent in the third set, where he received treatment for a leg complaint.

In contrast, De Minaur seemed to gain energy as the match progressed, securing another break of serve and confidently serving out the match. He clinched victory with a perfectly placed forehand, marking his 26th winner of the match.

“I probably must be feeling the freshest I’ve been getting at this stage of the tournament,” said De Minaur, who highlighted his physical readiness. Having reached the same stage in the 2022 and 2023 tournaments, De Minaur becomes the first Australian to reach the fourth round of his home Grand Slam in three consecutive editions since Lleyton Hewitt between 2003 and 2005.

When asked about emulating his mentor Lleyton Hewitt's success, De Minaur focused on his own goals, saying, “First of all, I’ll try to get a little bit better and beat my personal best, get to a quarterfinals. That’s the first step. I’ve made a couple fourth rounds in the past. I maybe have gotten to that point and not played the type of match I wanted to. I’m hoping I can break that barrier and go one further.”