Melbourne, Jan 23 (.) Australia’s Alex de Minaur produced a commanding performance to defeat American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday night, booking his place in the second week of his home Grand Slam for the fifth consecutive year.
The world No.6 held his nerve in key moments and dominated long stretches of the match, finishing in two hours and 43 minutes on Rod Laver Arena amid strong home support.
With the win, De Minaur became only the second Australian man in the Open Era, after John Newcombe, to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open in five straight years — a milestone achieved nearly five decades ago by Newcombe.
De Minaur struck 31 winners and repeatedly showcased his speed and consistency in extended rallies, including multiple 22-shot exchanges that drew loud applause from the crowd. He was cheered on by mentor Lleyton Hewitt and fiancée, British women’s player Katie Boulter.
The Australian gained a crucial edge midway through the second set with a double break, highlighted by sharp inside-out backhands and relentless retrieval. Although he briefly lost momentum in the third set after being broken at 4-3, De Minaur responded strongly, breaking Tiafoe at 5-5 before closing out the match on his third match point.
Tiafoe, currently ranked 34, struggled to convert early opportunities, committing forehand errors on key break points in the opening set that allowed De Minaur to seize control. Despite raising his level late in the contest, the American could not sustain pressure against the Australian’s depth and court coverage.
De Minaur will face Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the fourth round after the 10th seed defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets later on Friday. The two last met at the French Open last year, where Bublik claimed a comeback victory.
No signs of fatigue were evident as Australia’s top-ranked player continues his strong run at Melbourne Park.
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