Alex de Minaur powers past 'big brother' Jordan Thompson and into US Open quarter finals
Updated . First published at
Alex de Minaur is into the US Open quarter finals after powering past his "big brother" Jordan Thompson in four sets.
The 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win booked de Minaur into his fourth grand slam quarter final, and his second at Flushing Meadows.
He will face Brit Jack Draper on Thursday morning (AEST) for a spot in the semis. De Minaur has won all three of their previous encounters.
AS IT HAPPENED: Alex de Minaur v Jordan Thompson, US Open fourth round
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Despite a five-year age gap, De Minaur and Thompson are good friends off the court. They were close as they came through the junior ranks, and managed to remain close as Thompson aged into men's competition.
Thompson and de Minaur shake hands at the net after their fourth round US Open clash. Getty
Even now, they spend as much time as they can together and regularly stay at each other's houses when not playing.
"I've got so much respect for Thommo," de Minaur said in his courtside interview.
"We've grown up together – he's been like a big brother to me. I really appreciate everything he's done for me.
"He's a hell of a competitor, my Davis Cup teammate, and I can't wait to share the court many, many times with him."
Unforced errors proved to be Thompson's Achilles' heel as he made several in crucial points in a see-sawing fourth set.
A couple of De Minaur's own errors gave Thomson a crucial break, only to make two shockers of his own. The first when he blasted a regulation forehand wide when down 0-15.
Down 0-40, Thompson managed to save two break points, but gifted De Minaur the break when a backhand flew off the frame and virtually out of Loius Armstrong Stadium.
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The match looked to be all but over when De Minaur broke again in the seventh game, before De Minaur coughed up two double-faults to put the set back on serve.
In the next game, Thompson again fell 0-40 down but rallied to win the next five straight points and force De Minaur to hold serve to stay in the set.
That game went point-for-point when at deuce, Thompson made two more errors.
But the killer blow came in the 10th game. At 30-all, a wide serve from Thompson had de Minaur on the run, but the 30-year-old fluffed three chances to win the point.
Jordan Thompson made several unforced errors at crucial moments of the match. AP
De Minaur managed to hit returns from the first two – a volley and a smash that should have finished the job – before an attempted smash from Thompson cleared the baseline.
Thompson forced deuce with a rare winner, but made another unforced error off a volley when down the Advantage to give de Minaur the chance to serve it out, which he duly did.
De Minaur was already the first Aussie to reach the fourth round in all four slams in a calendar year since his mentor Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.
He put that consistency down to having "a positive mindset, no matter what".
De Minaur celebrating match point over Jordan Thompson. AP
"I try to play every point, try to win every point and as always compete my heart out," he said.
"In the past, my happiness almost depended on my results, and I'm trying to do my best to trust the progress, trust the journey.
"I'm doing my best. I'm trying to get better. I'm trying to find happiness outside of just wins and losses, and it's helped me so far.
"But I'm sure as hell a lot happier when I win tennis matches."
