In a dramatic twist on a windy evening in Melbourne, Andrey Rublev, the No. 5 seed, staged a late comeback to eliminate local favorite Alex de Minaur in the Australian Open’s fourth round. The epic contest on Sunday night lasted 4 hours and 14 minutes, ultimately concluding with Rublev’s 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0 victory.
De Minaur had initially seized control by taking sets two and three, appearing the fresher player heading into the fourth set. However, Rublev elevated his game to another level, producing a spectacular display of power that silenced the 14,000-odd fans in Rod Laver Arena.
Reflecting on the match, De Minaur acknowledged Rublev’s aggressive approach, stating, “He just let go, he started swinging, and the balls went in. It’s not a match I lost physically; it’s just that the racquet was taken out of my hand.”
Rublev, acknowledging the onset of fatigue, revealed his mental fortitude, saying, “I started to tell myself, no, you’re going to die today, but you will do everything. And then somehow I started to play better and better, and I found more energy and I was able to win.”
The Russian’s dominance in the final set, where he smashed nine winners and had only four unforced errors, showcased his resilience and determination. Despite admitting to pain after the match, Rublev’s aggressive play broke the Australian’s serve three times and secured a convincing victory.
The outcome extended De Minaur’s streak of exiting the Australian Open in the fourth round for the third consecutive year and marked a 48-year drought for Australian men at their home grand slam tournament.
Rublev’s triumph sets up a quarterfinal clash with the No. 4 seed, Jannik Sinner, who remains the only player yet to drop a set in the tournament. Reflecting on the upcoming match, Rublev expressed caution, saying, “He beat me last time, so I don’t know what to say. Looks like I’m in trouble.”
As the Australian Open continues to unfold, Andrey Rublev’s remarkable performance against Alex de Minaur stands as a testament to the unpredictable nature of tennis and the enduring resilience of top-tier players on the grand slam stage.
Rublev at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2024
Currently ranked no.5 (career-high), Andrey achieved an overall 8-0 win-loss record in 2024. Rublev is participating at the Australian Open where he conquered the world no.77 Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-5 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-66, the world no.35 Christopher Eubanks 6-4 6-4 6-4, the world no.26 Sebastian Korda 6-2 7-66 6-4 and the world no.10 Alex De Minaur 6-4 6-75 6-74 6-3 6-0.
Andrey Rublev will face the world no.4 Jannik Sinner in the quarter. Their current head to head is 4-2 for Sinner.
Andrey clinched 1 title in 2024 in Hong Kong.
The Russian won 15 titles in his career: 4 on hard courts, 5 on clay courts and 6 on indoor courts. (See the list of his titles)
Alex De Minaur in 2024
Currently ranked no.10 (career-high), the Australian played his last match on the 21st of January when he capitulated to world no.5 Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 in the 4th round of the Australian Open (draw).
At present, during this year the Australian has managed to achieve a compiled 6-2 win-loss record. Alex De Minaur’s most significant achievement of the present year was reaching the semifinal in Australia.
Andrey Rublev and Alex De Minaur played each other 6 times. Their current head to head is 3-3. The last time they competed against each other, Andrey Rublev won 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 in the 4th round in Melbourne (Australian Open) on the 21st of January 2024.
In the video below you can watch the highlights.
Andrey Rublev and Alex De Minaur |
| Embed from Getty Images |
