Alex de Minaur now faces his toughest Australian Open test yet as he meets Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
De Minaur is excited to play against Alcaraz, who has yet to drop a set in Melbourne ahead of their highly anticipated meeting.
Alcaraz is currently ranked number one in the world and is the top seed at the Australian Open, although it is the only Grand Slam trophy that he has yet to lift.
In contrast to the six-time Grand Slam champion, ATP number six De Minaur’s best Grand Slam finish is at the quarterfinal stage, which he has reached at all four majors.
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Alex de Minaur can beat Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open
De Minaur has a brutal Australian Open draw, but he has passed every test with flying colors so far, dropping just one set.
His confidence levels should, therefore, be at an all-time high, but there are three other reasons why De Minaur may just be able to pull off an unlikely shock against Alcaraz.
Firstly, there is undoubtedly big pressure on the home favorite, who is the last hope for Australian men’s tennis at this year’s tournament.
But even with fan desperation for a home winner, there is arguably bigger pressure on his opponent, with Alcaraz eagerly chasing the career Grand Slam.
All eyes are on the young Spaniard, who secondly has never made it beyond the quarterfinals in Melbourne, constantly coming up short.
That should play into the hands of his opponent, with Alcaraz clearly having an issue at the first Grand Slam of the season.
The third and final factor working in the Australian’s favor is indeed the fans, who could make the world of difference.
They should be in full voice at Rod Laver Arena, constantly willing De Minaur on and motivating him to pull off an all-time Grand Slam upset.
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Of course, one major worry is De Minaur’s head-to-head record against Alcaraz, which currently stands at 5-0 in favor of the Spaniard.
But that is a common theme for the world number one at this stage of his career, and simply one that the Australian must try and put to the back of his mind ahead of their next reunion.
It does, however, simply add to the pressure on the shoulders of Alcaraz, who will definitely be expected to come out on top once again.
Alex de Minaur makes Katie Boulter joke after reaching Australian Open quarterfinals
Despite the immense pressure De Minaur is under, the Australian is clearly in high spirits ahead of meeting Alcaraz.
In fact, after his latest victory, he referenced his recent on-court interview with Jim Courier in a post on social media.
Courier joked that De Minaur will be a 49% shareholder in his upcoming marriage to fellow player Katie Boulter, with the Australian now joking on Instagram: “Quarters!
“Happy with my 49% but I want more. Thanks for the love Melbourne, see you tomorrow for a great battle.”
The world number six is rightfully enjoying every second of the limelight right now, undoubtedly helped by De Minaur’s new “chilled out” approach to the game.
It’s certainly working for him right now, although he may also need a little help from elsewhere to get over his next hurdle in Melbourne.
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