Alex de Minaur’s most promising Australian Open tilt has ended in demoralising fashion with the local hope demolished in the quarter-finals by world No.1 Jannik Sinner. After reaching the Melbourne Park final eight for the first time, de Minaur was attempting to reach his maiden semi-final at any slam.
The world No.8 was chasing his first win over Sinner in 10 attempts, after winning just one set against the Italian in their previous nine meetings. But defending Open champion Sinner outgunned, then dismantled the Australian to claim a straight-sets 6-3 6-2 6-1 win in just an hour and 48 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
Scintillating Sinner, 23, will face world No.20 Ben Shelton in the semi-final, after the American beat Lorenzo Sonego in Wednesday’s other quarter-final. The world No.
1 has maintained his title defence despite having a doping saga hanging over his head, with a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing set for April. The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed against the decision not to ban the Italian after he tested positive twice for the anabolic steroid clostebol last March. World No.
2 Alexander Zverev and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic face off in the other semi-final. But renowned workhorse de Minaur, 25, will have to lick his wounds and contemplate how he can take his game up another gear. He has now failed to claim a set in his four quarter-final appearances at slams to date.
De Minaur had dropped just one set across the opening four rounds at Melbourne Park but.
