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23 hours ago
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Never-say-die Alex de Minaur lit up Ken Rosewall Arena to send Australia’s United Cup quarter-final against Poland into a deciding mixed doubles rubber.
Australia’s baseline warrior repelled everything Hubert Hurkacz could fire at him before pulling out a pulsating 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory over the power-serving former Wimbledon semi-finalist on Friday night.
Australia’s hopes of progressing rest with mixed doubles pair Storm Hunter and John-Patrick Smith against Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski in the late slot on Friday night.
Australia were staring down the barrel of elimination after six-time major winner Iga Swiatek dealt Maya Joint a harsh reality check with a 6-1 6-1 mauling the opening women’s singles encounter.
But de Minaur once again delivered for his country, the world No 6 electrifying his home-town Sydney spectators with signature tenacity, speed and courage under fire.
De Minaur had no right winning the opening set after facing break points on every one of his first five service games, fending off nine in all, before suddenly the pressure of not converting told on Hurkacz.
Untroubled on his first four service games, the Pole overcooked a backhand to give de Minaur the first break of the match, prompting the Sydney fan favourite to whip the crowd into a frenzy of celebration.
An energised de Minaur then duly held to love to close out the set amid an incredible run of 21 consecutive points won on his serve.
He faltered serving at 4-5, Hurkacz winning a lung-busting 35-shot rally to bring up set point, then rifling a backhand down-the-line pass to level the match.
Undeterred by the setback, the local hero broke the fatiguing Hurkacz to love in the third game of the deciding set and held firm to lock the tie up after two hours and 20 sapping minutes.
Swiatek earlier needed just 58 minutes to cast Joint aside 6-1 6-1 with a third consecutive semi-final appearance at the $17m mixed teams showpiece at stake for the Poles.
But the six-time grand slam champion’s victory was anything but straightforward.
Swiatek burst into tears at the opening changeover, despite breaking the Australian teenager in the third game for a 2-1 lead, only to return to the court and play on.
The world No 2 gave her courtside teammates a thumbs-up after gaining a double break for a 4-1 lead and barely lost a point in reeling off six games to seize the first set.
Swiatek was equally as dominant in the second set, showing no let-up or any signs of injury or physical ailments in breaking the 19-year-old Joint twice more to secure a most lop-sided victory.
The loss piled the pressure on world No 6 Alex de Minaur to beat Hubert Hurkacz in the men’s singles match to keep the quarter-final alive and force a deciding mixed doubles rubber.
While Joint will be disappointed with the manner of her defeat, the world No 32 remains guaranteed to claim a first-time grand slam seeding at this month’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
