Alex de Minaur has matched his career-best result at the Australian Open, advancing to the fourth round for a second consecutive year.
The 23-year-old’s first appearance at Rod Laver Arena this tournament proved a successful one as he outplayed world No.48 Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(0) 6-2 6-1.
De Minaur's fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin was unable to join him in the last 16, falling in straight sets later on Saturday to emerging American star Ben Shelton.
De Minaur comfortably stepped into the spotlight at his home Grand Slam, patiently navigating past the 26-year-old Frenchman in two hours and eight minutes.
“I’m very happy, I can’t lie,” De Minaur told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena.
“Honestly, as a kid this is what you train for. To be playing on this court, in front of you guys, on one of the biggest stages in the world. Every time I get out here, I’ve got to pinch myself.”
The world No.24 was tested early, but blitzed through the opening-set tiebreak without conceding a point.
With the momentum firmly in his favour, De Minaur won 12 of the next 15 games to seal a comfortable victory.
This result maintains De Minaur’s unbeaten record against non-seeded opponents at his home Grand Slam; he has won all 10 matches he has played.
It also makes him the first Australian to reach back-to-back Australian Open men’s singles fourth rounds since Bernard Tomic in 2016.
The only other Aussie man to achieve this feat in the past two decades is Lleyton Hewitt, who made the round of 16 for three straight years between 2003-2005.
“(I’m) extremely happy. Happy to be able to do it in back-to-back years, and giving myself another chance and opportunity to go deep in my home Slam, which is ultimately what I want to be doing,” De Minaur said.
To reach a first quarterfinal at Melbourne Park, De Minaur will need to beat nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, who on Saturday night overcame Grigor Dimitrov.
REPORT: Djokovic digs in to deny Dimitrov
“I’m just excited,” De Minaur said of his next match.
“It’s another chance to come out here and play against the best in the world and show what I’m made of.”
Popyrin's resurgent run ends
When Popyrin returned to John Cain Arena for his third-round Australian Open match, he encountered a disarmingly similar opponent in Ben Shelton.
Shelton, like Popyrin, had built his game around an explosive serve and as the young American’s confidence grew throughout the two-hour encounter, he used it with devastating intensity.
The added element for the world No.89 was his nothing-to-lose fearlessness.
Shelton wasn’t simply contesting his first tournament outside the United States, but is also travelling for the first time outside his homeland.
And as all those factors combined, the 20-year-old added to his remarkable recent rise with a 6-3 7-6(4) 6-4 victory over the Australian – disarming both the exuberant home crowd support and Popyrin’s usual firepower.
“I just thought it was really important than I stepped up and played a little more offensive,” said Shelton, who recorded 34 winners against 25 unforced errors and converted two of his eight break point chances.
“I’ve seen Popyrin play his last few matches and he’s been bullying people around the court, so I thought it was important today to try and take it to him and I thought I did a good job of it.”
We're happy you changed your mind, @BenShelton ??!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2023
(Looks like a pretty savvy call, too)#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/RQW3ILiosf
For Popyrin, there are many positives to take from a sixth campaign at his home Grand Slam – most notably, consecutive five-set victories over Tseng Chun-Hsin and against No.8 seed Taylor Fritz.
In an Australian summer that saw Popyrin qualifying for the Adelaide International, then stunning No.2 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round, there was also a successful start to his new coaching partnership with former top-20 ATP player, Xavier Malisse.
By matching his best result at the Australian Open, the 113th-ranked Popyrin is projected to return to the world’s top-100 when the ATP rankings are next released.
“Honestly if this is the way he plays day in, day out, the guy is top 10 in six months,” said Popyrin of Shelton, who charged into the world’s top 100 after winning a trio of ATP Challenger titles in 2022.
While noting three break point opportunities that he failed to convert in the second set, the Australian also revealed that as Shelton relentlessly attacked, he never quite relaxed into the match.
“I don’t think I did much wrong. I think when I had my chance, he played them out,” Popyrin added.
“He played great today. Not taking anything away from him.”