Dumbfounded Alex de Minaur believes dismantling one of the game’s powerhouses Daniil Medvedev to become the first Australian man to make the French Open quarter-finals in two decades is the biggest triumph of his career. The slight Sydneysider with the big heart and electric speed was left barely able to credit that he had come from a set down on Monday to defeat Medvedev 4-6 6-2 6-1 6-3 and reach just his second quarter-final in a grand slam. “It’s pretty extraordinary, if you ask me.
“He played probably the best match we played,” acknowledged the former US Open champ, impressed by de Minaur’s serving in particular. “I didn’t see him play like this before.” Indeed, de Minaur could hardly credit how he reduced the man who’s featured in six grand slam finals to frustration as he constantly pierced his ‘Octopus’ defence with 51 searing winners.