Flushing Meadows was buzzing on Monday, but it was Alex de Minaur who stole the spotlight with a masterclass in counter-punching and composure. The 26-year-old Australian moved past Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in just one hour and 33 minutes, underlining his intent to finally reach a Grand Slam semi-final.
Ranked eighth in the world and a ten-time ATP Tour champion, Alex de Minaur advanced to his sixth Grand Slam quarter-final, marking his third appearance at the US Open. Despite this consistency, the semi-final stage has remained just out of reach in his career.
“Super proud of what I’m doing and ultimately this is where I want to be…I want to be playing for the big titles, I want to be in contention. I’m putting myself in the right places. I’ve got another great opportunity coming up in the quarterfinals. I’m gonna go out there, have a swing and hopefully have some amazing crowd support like today,” de Minaur said after the match.
Monday’s encounter was dominated by de Minaur’s composure and tactical discipline. His opponent, Leandro Riedi, had battled through qualifying and now sits at world No. 435. While the Swiss teenager managed 20 winners, he was hampered by 39 unforced errors, a stark contrast to de Minaur’s cleaner game, which featured just 21 errors. The Australian seized control of the key moments, converting eight out of 15 break-point opportunities, whereas Riedi could only convert two of six.
Riedi’s run to the fourth round had been nothing short of remarkable, especially given he underwent two knee surgeries in the past year. This performance pushed him up 271 spots in the PIF ATP Live Rankings to No. 164, signaling a breakthrough on the big stage.
“I knew I had to be solid and not give him any free points…He has a lot of firepower, but I’ve been focusing on staying disciplined and making sure my first serve is working,” de Minaur praised Reidi.
With this victory, de Minaur moves on to face either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals. Should he maintain the level of focus and efficiency displayed against Riedi, a first-ever Grand Slam semi-final could finally be within reach, offering the Australian a golden opportunity to take his career to a new high.
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