What next for Alex de Minaur after Australian Open quarter final horror show
A supposedly under-the-weather Jannik Sinner needed only an hour and 48 minutes to end Alex de Minaur's career-best run at the Australian Open.
Australia's last hope was "slapped across the face" by the Italian world No.1 in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.
De Minaur came into the tournament ranked eighth in the world. On Wednesday night, he was the last Aussie in the competition with the country's hopes on his shoulders.
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When de Minaur was walked onto Rod Laver Arena, the crowd roared. By the end of the match, they had been almost completely silenced.
"I know that whole crowd has got my back," a dejected de Minaur said post-match.
Alex de Minaur acknowledges the crowd as he leaves Rod Laver Arena. Getty
"They want me to go out there, make it competitive, try to make it into a match, and I'm trying my best.
"If anything, it's frustrating that I can't do it. I'm doing my best, but (to not) even make it into a match where the crowd can get behind and start supporting ... "
The head-to-head between the pair makes for ugly reading. Sinner has won all 10 of their matches, and 22 of 23 competitive sets.
"I'm going to be completely honest and transparent - it's tough, honestly," de Minaur said.
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Sinner and de Minaur at the net. AP
"I think there are a lot of varying factors on the scoreboard today. But match-up, I think he's probably my worst match-up, and you can see it in the head-to-head.
"In these types of conditions it's even tougher to play against him. So you go out there, you compete. You try everything. You bring every different look that you can.
"But in these types of conditions where it's a little bit colder and you can't really get the ball out of his strike zone, he can just unload and not miss. It's tough.
"I think if we're playing middle of the day on a stupidly hot day, then that's when you can see some errors come out, and that's when you probably see Jannik not play at his best."
Alex de Minaur was barely in the match at any stage. AP
De Minaur was broken in the fourth game of the opening set, and then in the first game in each of the second and third sets. It meant Sinner never came close to facing any kind of scoreboard pressure, and allowed him to dictate terms.
Regardless, a quarter final exit remains his best ever performance at his home grand slam. He's also just the sixth Australian man to make the Australian Open quarters in the Open era, and the first in a decade.
"It's disappointing. I don't want to leave like this, but I can only get better and come back stronger next year," he said.
"After playing some great tennis on home soil and gaining so much, you feel like you just have been slapped across the face, to be honest, to finish off like that.
"It's not the first time that I've felt that – I felt the same thing when I played Novak a couple of years ago.
"So, hey, I'll survive. I'll keep improving. I just need to sit with my team and figure out a way to hurt Jannik on the court. That's ultimately the way we've got to look at it and find different ways because at the moment, we don't have it.
"So back to the drawing board, like I've done my whole career.
"I still don't think this is my ceiling. I still think I've got more in the tank. So I'll be searching for that."
Sinner will now face Ben Shelton in one semi final on Friday, while Novak Djokovic will battle Alexander Zverev in the other.
