ATP Tour

De Minaur scraps to opening win at Queen's Club: 'It was all about surviving'

Alex de Minaur got back to winning ways at the HSBC Championships on Tuesday, though not before overcoming a stern first-round challenge at the grass-court ATP 500 event.

The top-seeded Australian battled past big-serving Gabriel Diallo 7-6(8), 6-3 to secure his first victory at Queen’s Club since reaching the final in 2023. De Minaur saved two set points in a gripping opening-set tie-break before breaking serve in a marathon 15-minute fourth game of the second set to seize control.

“It was a pretty big challenge,” De Minaur, the No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, said in his on-court interview. “By no means was it the prettiest match, but I appreciate the support. Today was all about surviving and advancing, so I hope to play many more matches here.”

De Minaur arrived in west London after his run to the final of the ATP 250 event in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he lost to Kamil Majchrzak. The 27-year-old responded impressively by grinding out a determined two-hour, two-minute win to launch his latest pursuit of a 12th ATP Tour title.

After falling behind 2-4 in the first set, De Minaur fought his way back and delivered under pressure in a captivating tie-break. The elastic Australian, renowned for his relentless defence, kept his composure when facing a second set point at 6/7, firing a succession of backhands at the towering Diallo before the final shot landed for a winner.

De Minaur set a second-round meeting with Denis Shapovalov, whom he leads 5-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The two stars have yet to meet on grass.

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Second seed Jiri Lehecka and fourth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina also advanced on Tuesday in London.

Lehecka reached the final at the ATP 500 event last year and began this week's campaign with a 7-5, 7-6(4) win against 's-Hertogenbosch champion Kamil Majchrzak. Lehecka is chasing his first trophy of the season and will next meet Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata.

Fourth seed Davidovich Fokina beat British hope Cameron Norrie 7-6(6), 6-2 to reach the second round. The Spaniard, who hit a stunning flying volley winner in the first set, now leads former Queen's Club finalist Norrie 3-0 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Davidovich Fokina plays Corentin Moutet in round two.

Earlier, Adrian Mannarino defeated 20-year-old Jakub Mensik 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-6(5) to claim his 77th tour-level victory on grass. The French lefty owns the third most wins on the surface among active players, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, behind only Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic.

A two-time Queen’s Club quarter-finalist, Mannarino will next face British wild card Arthur Fery, who cruised past countryman Toby Samuel 6-0, 6-2. On Tuesday morning, it was announced that both Fery and Samuel were awarded wild cards into the main draw at Wimbledon.

Seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo pulled through a tough opening win at the ATP 500 event, edging lucky loser Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2. His reward is a second-round clash with another American, Jenson Brooksby, who overcame 6’8” qualifier Martin Damm 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Peruvian sensation Ignacio Buse notched victory on his tour-level debut on grass earlier in the day, when he saved three match points to defeat Marcos Giron 3-6 ,7-5, 7-6(8). The 22-year-old will next face American Brandon Nakashima, who eased past Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-3.