A year ago at the ABN AMRO Open, Alex de Minaur let slip two match points before falling to defeat against Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals at the indoor ATP 500 in Rotterdam. It was the Australian’s 24th birthday.
There was to be no such disappointment for De Minaur as he rang in his 25th year on Saturday in Rotterdam. The fifth seed delivered a dazzling semi-final display to seal a 6-4, 6-3 revenge victory against Dimitrov and set a championship-match clash with top seed Jannik Sinner or home favourite Tallon Griekspoor.
“I’m extremely happy with the level throughout the whole match,” said De Minaur in his post-match interview. “It was probably one of the better matches I’ve played from start to finish. Even saying that, I always know that Grigor is going to lift his level and compete until the end, and I had to fight off some pretty tough break points, when I came up with some of my best tennis.”
“That was the key today. I managed to hold onto my serve at key moments and I live to fight another day.”
A birthday win 🥳
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2024
Demon takes the win over Dimitrov 6-4 6-3 to step into the final in Rotterdam 🔥@abnamroopen | #abnamroopen pic.twitter.com/7DsabaKREj
De Minaur stepped on court after notching his fourth Top 10 win of the season against Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals, and he played with all the confidence of a man who is producing some of the best tennis of his career. He went toe-to-toe with Dimitrov from the baseline throughout, showcasing considerable firepower off both wings and powering 14 winners to just four unforced errors, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“This is my standard,” said De Minaur. “This is what I’ve got to bring every single time I walk on the court. That’s how I’m going to play my best tennis. I think I made a big step in the right direction, showing the type of tennis I can play, week in, week out. I think I’ve raised the bar a little bit and hopefully there’s plenty more to go.”
Like De Minaur, Dimitrov has started 2024 in spectacular fashion. The Bulgarian was chasing his Tour-leading 14th win of the season on Saturday and produced plenty of moments of class in his fifth Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with the Australian. Yet he could not find a way to recover after De Minaur broke serve in the opening game of each set.
“I think my mentality [has been key],” said De Minaur when asked about his form en route to becoming the second Australian finalist in Rotterdam tournament history, after 2004 champion Lleyton Hewitt. “I think my physicality is always going to be there, and my mentality normally is, but it’s a long year so you have weeks when it might be a little bit tougher to be very positive all the time.
“From the word go here in Rotterdam, I’ve felt a very calm presence. I’ve felt positive, I’ve been calm and collected throughout whole matches, and I think that’s been a big key for me.”
With his 84-minute win, De MInaur ensured he will on Monday rise to a career-high No. 9 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Defeat for Dimitrov in Rotterdam also ensured there will be no player with a single-handed backhand in the Top 10 for the first time in Pepperstone ATP Rankings history.
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