Alex de Minaur delivered a polished and assured performance to sweep past Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi in straight sets, booking his spot in the US Open quarter-finals with a decisive 6-3 6-2 6-1 victory in just 93 minutes.
Playing on Louis Armstrong Court under a mild 25 °C sun, de Minaur did not need to fire on all cylinders. Riedi, ranked a distant No 435, faltered under pressure, committing error after unforced error as he struggled to withstand the returning brilliance of the Australian.
De Minaur struck first in the opening set, securing two mid-set breaks to seize control and set the tone for the rest of the match. In the second set, he powered to a 5-0 lead before Riedi handily broke back – though briefly – before de Minaur served it out at the second opportunity.
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The third set was no contest: an early love break, followed by repeated breaks, brought the match to a close with Riedi ending on his ninth double-fault.
“I was happy with my level, my focus,” de Minaur said afterwards. “I knew he had some big shots and he’s had a hell of a week coming through qualies. I’m just happy to be back in the quarter-finals here. Ultimately this is where I want to be, playing for the big titles, being in contention. I am putting myself in the right places and I have another big opportunity coming up in the quarter-finals.”
Though the match represented a comfortable path to the next round, de Minaur knows what’s ahead: a far sterner test in the form of Canada’s 25th seed, Félix Auger-Aliassime. “Felix is that type of player that everyone knows that his top level is incredibly high, and when he’s playing with confidence, he’s very tough to beat,” de Minaur acknowledged.
“He’s got a great serve. He’s got a great forehand. He looks to dictate whenever he can. In that matchup for me it’s all about trying to disrupt his rhythm, not give him the chance to bully me on the court.”
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De Minaur’s appearance in the last eight marks his sixth Grand Slam quarter-final, yet he remains in pursuit of his maiden semi-final berth.
Notably, he is the first Australian man to reach consecutive US Open quarter-finals since Lleyton Hewitt did so from 2000 to 2006.
Who will Alex de Minaur play next?
He now faces Canada’s 25th seed, Félix Auger-Aliassime, fresh from beating Andrey Rublev, in the US Open quarter-finals .
What is Alex de Minaur’s best US Open result?
His best result at the US Open to date is reaching the quarter-final stage; in fact, this marks the sixth time he has made it that far at a major, but he is still chasing a first semi-final appearance
