3 minute read
World No.13 Alex de Minaur has dispatched Chile's Nicolas Jarry in straight sets to join fellow Australian Rinky Hijikata in the US Open's last 16 in New York.
Alex de Minaur admits he's a man on a mission after showcasing his new-found firepower to blast his way into a US Open last-16 blockbuster with former champion Daniil Medvedev.
Australia's world No.13 ruthlessly dismantled seeded Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-1 6-3 6-2 to join Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata in the fourth round in New York.
So often derided for lacking the weapons to go deep at the grand slams, de Minaur turned baseline boss to overwhelm the 25th-ranked Jarry in just one hour and 44 minutes on Saturday.
He broke the South American six times, saved the solitary break point on his own serve and won a staggering 85 per cent of points after landing his first delivery.
Tellingly, de Minaur punished Jarry almost every time he missed a first serve, winning 19 of 27 points on the Chilean's second delivery.
"I'm extremely happy again. I had a mission to accomplish," he said.
"I stuck to my game plan. I executed and I did everything I wanted to. It was a great day at the office and there is lots to be proud of.
"Obviously the game plan against someone like Jerry, who's got such big weapons, is to try to neutralise him and try to find the a healthy balance between kind of pushing the ball and still being somewhat aggressive without missing.
"I think I found that line today. And it was great just to keep applying that pressure. If he wanted to win, he was going to have to come up with some some amazing winners and it didn't discourage me.
"I just kept on playing the next point and did it all over again."
His reward is a sixth second-week foray at the majors, his third at Flushing Meadows in the past five years and another shot at third-seeded Medvedev, the 2021 champion who didn't finish his third-round match until 1.30 on Sunday morning.
"I'm glad it didn't finish at four," the Russian said after surviving a third-set tiebreaker to see off Argentina's world No.32 Sebastian Baez 6-2 6-2 7-6 (8-6).
De Minaur has beaten Medvedev twice in the past 10 months, including three weeks ago in straight sets en route to his maiden appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 final in Toronto.
That victory was de Minaur's fourth over a top-10 rival this season and will quietly fancy his chances of posting another upset on Tuesday (AEST) to match his run to the 2020 quarter-finals in New York.
"I haven't played him in a major yet so this is going to be a new experience for both of us," the 24-year-old said.
"And if if anything, it's just going to be a long match, right?
"I'm sure there's going to be chances both ways. So it's about who just sticks around and fights to the end and finds a way. I am expecting an absolute battle."
De Minaur's two previous encounters with Jarry produced four tiebreakers, but he broke the Chilean's big serve in the opening game on Saturday to set the tone for a far more one-sided affair in which he offered up a miserly 10 unforced errors.
"Look, I'm in a good headspace. I've got very clear thoughts in my mind once I'm on the tennis court." de Minaur said.
"I know what I want to accomplish, what I want to do and and it's always great when you can execute as well.
"What I'm bringing is the kind of energy and intensity from the first point till the last."
Hijikata plays his fourth-round match on Monday (AEST) against American 10th seed Frances Tiafoe.
