The Australian Open had potential for local success, but a gusty night in Melbourne resulted in the No. 5 seed, Andrey Rublev, overpowering Alex de Minaur in the round of 16.
De Minaur had the advantage after winning sets two and three and appeared to have more stamina going into the fourth set. However, the Russian player stepped up his game to ultimately win the intense match on Sunday evening with a score of 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0 after 4 hours and 14 minutes.
De Minaur’s elimination in the fourth round marks the third consecutive year in which he has exited the tournament, prolonging the 48-year lack of success for Australian men at their own home grand slam event.
De Minaur was unable to counter the increased aggression of one of the top hitters in the world during the fourth and fifth sets, resulting in a stunning demonstration of power that left the 14,000 spectators in Rod Laver Arena speechless.
“I couldn’t hold on, he began to swing and the balls effortlessly landed in. It wasn’t a matter of losing physically, it was as if my racquet was forcefully removed from my hand,” De Minaur stated. “He was stationary, yet hitting with incredible speed and accuracy from all areas of the court.”
Rublev explained that he was forced to alter his strategy due to feeling fatigued. He shared, “I began to remind myself that I may feel exhausted, but I must give it my all. Surprisingly, as I continued to play, I gained more energy and ultimately achieved victory.”
In the last set, the Russian hit nine winning shots and only made four mistakes, managing to break the Australian’s serve three times. This caused disappointment for many spectators. Despite confessing to experiencing pain, he was still able to accomplish this feat.
He stated that he was attempting to avoid dwelling on it and was pushing himself. He urged himself not to cry or feel sorry for himself.
The outcome of the match was unexpectedly one-sided, considering the players’ past history.
In the past, the Australian won three out of five matches against the pair. However, at their last meeting, the Russian emerged victorious in three sets at the Masters 1000 event in Paris last year.
The tennis match took place indoors, but the roof of the Rod Laver Arena was opened before the match started due to a prior shower on Sunday. Despite the rain being cleared, the wind persisted on the cold evening, causing Rublev’s hair to flutter and affecting his ball toss.
In the opening game, the Russian player made two double faults. This caused the lively Rublev to react with intense gestures, throwing his racquets, shouting in frustration, and shaking his head as he struggled with both external and internal struggles.
“It’s probably best not to be in my mind right now,” he mentioned. “It feels like a horror movie.”
He stabilized himself to maintain his position, and his strong background in the game was evident when he took the lead in the fourth game. Even though the Australian opponent caught up shortly after, Rublev’s skills were the main driving force in the match.
Rublev rose to the top 10 in 2020 and has consistently been one of the most impressive players on the tour. His powerful forehand put immense pressure on his opponent from Australia, whose serve was only successful 53% of the time during the match. The crowd at Rod Laver Arena was shocked when a double fault on set point gave Rublev the advantage.
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Nevertheless, De Minaur’s recent wins against top-ranked opponents demonstrate his current skill level, and his composed demeanor stands in stark contrast to the flashy style of the Russian.
His determination, combined with some impressive shots, led him to win the second set after a long 73 minutes. The standout moment was when he stretched low around the net post to return a forehand from Rublev that was heading towards the umpire’s chair.
It was perhaps the shot of the tournament so far. And on the Australian rolled, winning a second tiebreak to take a two sets to one lead as the Russian’s exclamations became more regular.
However, there was a surprise. Despite appearing to have limited movement in the fourth set, Rublev became more assertive and the Australian was mostly left as a spectator.
De Minaur stated, “I believed that in the fifth set, I would have the opportunity to wear him out physically. However, I ended up playing a few mediocre points in the first game while he played two exceptional ones.”
Suddenly, I found myself in a difficult position and had to work extra hard to catch up. He then released his grip.
Rublev has yet to advance beyond the quarter-finals in a grand slam, even though he has reached that stage nine times in the past. He acknowledged last year that the mental aspect of the game continues to be a challenge for him.
He is facing the No. 4 seed, Jannik Sinner, who has not lost a set yet. The Russian has only won twice in their six previous matches. “He defeated me last time, so I’m not sure what to say,” he admitted. “It seems like I’m in trouble.”
