Alex de Minaur secured a spot in the Rotterdam Open final with a dominant victory over Grigor Dimitrov, avenging their previous match. This win serves as the ideal birthday gift for de Minaur, who turns 25 today.
In 2023, during de Minaur’s birthday event, Dimitrov from Bulgaria ended up ruining the celebration by eliminating the Australian top-ranked player in the quarter-finals.
However, the ‘Demon’ sought revenge for their close loss by winning decisively at the Rotterdam Ahoy arena in the semi-final on Saturday (Sunday AEDT). They claimed a 6-4 6-3 victory, securing a spot in the final against Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner.
Returning to the tournament for the first time since winning at Melbourne Park, top seed and fourth-ranked player Sinner defeated local favorite Tallon Griekspoor 6-2 6-4 in the later semi-final.
De Minaur’s victory guarantees that he will reach a personal best ranking of No. 9 in the world next week, up from his current spot at 11th place.
On Friday, he was able to defeat Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals with a score of 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3, seeking retribution for his previous loss at the Australian Open.
“I am thrilled with my performance throughout the entire match,” expressed de Minaur following his victory over Dimitrov.
“I had a strong performance throughout the entire match. However, I am aware that Grigor always brings his A-game and never gives up, so I had to overcome some challenging break points. I managed to showcase some of my best tennis in those moments.”
De Minaur crashed 14 winners and made just four unforced errors in his impressive 84-minute march.
“Since arriving in Rotterdam, I have experienced a sense of tranquility. I have maintained a positive attitude and remained composed during all my matches, which I believe has been crucial for my success,” stated de Minaur, who is participating in his first tournament since the Australian Open.
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The resident of Sydney attributes his enhanced performance to a more resilient mindset that is helping him toughen up against top-ranked opponents, a determined trait shared by the last Australian to triumph in Rotterdam two decades ago, Lleyton Hewitt.
De Minaur’s recent close collaboration with Davis Cup captain Hewitt is not a mere coincidence. After defeating Dimitrov, he stated, “This is my new benchmark, I must maintain this level every time I step onto the court.”
I believe I have taken a significant stride towards playing the kind of tennis I am capable of consistently. I feel that I have set a higher standard and I hope to continue improving.
Sinner is the ultimate challenge for him. Among all players, the 22-year-old Italian opponent is most likely to cause the Australian to feel inferior. Since their first match at the ATP NextGen finals in 2019, Sinner has won all six encounters and only lost one set.
Source: theguardian.com
