World no. 9 Alex de Minaur achieved his best result at Wimbledon, beating four rivals and reaching his first quarter-final at the All England Club. However, the Aussie could not challenge the seven-time champion Novak Djokovic on Wednesday, withdrawing due to a hip injury in the closing stages of his previous duel versus Arthur Fils.
Alex managed to bring that match home but could not step on the court two days later, unwilling to risk even more serious issues. De Minaur felt devastated after missing the clash against the greatest player of all time. He will stay away from the court for three to six weeks, most likely skipping the Olympic Games in Paris.
Alex conquered the ‘s-Hertogenbosch title on the fastest surface a couple of weeks ago, heading to the All England Club as one of the dark horses.
De Minaur defeated James Duckworth, Jaume Munar and Arthur Fils (Lucas Pouillle gave him a walkover), entering the last eight but experiencing bad luck that forced him to withdraw.
Alex ousted Arthur 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 54 minutes, sealing the deal with three consecutive return games on his tally and moving into the last eight for the first time. De Minaur played better behind the first and second serve, getting broken five times but responding with nine return games on his tally.
It was a low-quality duel with 30 break chances and over 100 unforced mistakes. Alex welcomed over 60 unforced errors from his rival, performing strongly in the pivotal moments and sealing the deal in four sets. The Aussie played his best tennis in the opening set, serving well and keeping the pressure on the other side.
World no. 9 kicked off the action with a break at love in the first game of the duel and grabbed another break at 2-0 after the Frenchman’s double fault.
Alex de Minaur explained what forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon.
Alex held at love for 4-0 and repeated that with a slice winner at 5-2, wrapping up the opener after 28 minutes.
Fils responded with an early break in the second set, forcing de Minaur’s mistake and clinching the next game after a deuce for a 3-0 advantage. Alex pulled the break back in game five and secured another return game two games later, turning the tables and moving in front.
The Aussie held at love in game five, rattling off five games and earning a set point on the return at 5-3. Arthur saved it with a service winner and held, prolonging the action and reducing the deficit to 5-4. De Minaur served for the set in game ten and produced a hold at 15, forging two sets to love advantage after an hour and 17 minutes.
Arthur held at love at the beginning of the third set before Alex locked them at 1-1 with a forced error in the next one. Fils netted a routine backhand in the third game, facing two break points and suffering a break at 15 after placing a forehand long.
World no. 9 produced a fine hold in the next one, cementing the lead and moving closer to the finish line. Arthur played against a break point in the fifth game, erasing it with a backhand down the line winner and holding to remain within one break deficit.
The Aussie held at love in the sixth game, moving two games away from the finish line. Suddenly, the Frenchman raised his level and made the duel more interesting. Arthur cracked a forehand winner in the eighth game, pulling the break back and locking the result at 4-4.
Fils held after a deuce in the ninth game, moving in front and keeping the pressure on the other side. Alex played an incredible point in the tenth game for a game point, squandering it and getting broke after Arthur’s sharp return, allowing the Frenchman to introduce the fourth set after two hours and four minutes.
The fourth set brought 14 break chances and six successful return games.
De Minaur broke at love in the first game and defended two break points in the next one for a 2-0 lead.
Alex sprayed a forehand error in the fourth game, offering Arthur three break chances. World no. 9 kept his composure and denied them, rattling off five points and opening a 3-1 advantage. De Minaur clinched an entertaining point with a winner in the fifth game, delivering another break and moving 4-1 in front.
Fils pulled one break back in the sixth game before getting broken again in the next one, propelling de Minaur 5-2 ahead. The Aussie failed to serve out for the set in game eight, keeping his rival in contention. However, Alex grabbed his third straight break at 5-3, injuring his hip but sealing the deal.
As it turned out, he sustained a serious injury that prevented him from facing Novak Djokovic, ending his Wimbledon campaign in the worst way. “I have to withdraw due to a hip injury. It’s a tear in the cartilage that connects the adductors.
I felt a ‘crack’ during the last three points of my previous match against Fils. I underwent tests and had to withdraw, as the injury could worsen if I decided to play,” Alex de Minaur said.