Alex de Minaur crashes out of Miami Open after straight-sets loss to Matteo Berrettini
Updated . First published at
Australia's Alex de Minaur has been sent packing from the Miami Open following a seesawing fourth-round loss to former top-10 player Matteo Berrettini.
Berrettini saved six set points in the second set as de Minaur failed to convert his opportunities and force a deciding third set at the Masters 1000 event.
De Minaur was eventually defeated 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) at the Hard Rock Stadium.
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Alex De Minaur hits a backhand against Matteo Berrettini in their fourth-round match at the Miami Open. Frey/ TPN via Getty Images
Berrettini started well, breaking de Minaur's opening service game before racing out to an early 3-0 lead.
The set then remained on serve, with Berrettini closing it out 6-3 despite facing two breakpoints in the ninth game.
In a rollercoaster second set, the 10th seed saved four match points as he tried to equalise before finally succumbing on the fifth after two hours on court.
With de Minaur at one stage up 5-4 and 40-love, a comeback was on the cards but the big-serving Italian responded by saving all three set points.
A former finalist at Wimbledon on his way back up the rankings after injury, Berrettini won seven consecutive points and the next three games to gain the upper hand.
This forced de Minaur to convert a breakpoint of his own to send the set to a tiebreak.
Berrettini again rallied from a double break down at 6-3 in the tiebreaker to deny de Minaur a tour-best 18th win of the year.
With 27 unforced errors, the defeat marked de Minaur's second consecutive fourth-round departure at a Masters 1000 event.
De Minaur's exit ended any prospects of an all-Australian quarter-final with countryman Adam Walton. However, the lucky loser subsequently lost his final-16 match up to American third seed Taylor Fritz 6-3 7-5.
Currently ranked world No.30 — his highest ranking since 2022 — Berrettini will next face Fritz in the quarter finals.
The win also marks Berrettini's first quarter-finals appearance at a Masters 1000 event since Madrid 2021, with this the first time he has reached the last eight in Miami.
