Alex de Minaur, Australia’s No. 1 and world No. 8, suffered a significant setback in his US Open preparations, crashing out in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on August 10, 2025, to American Reilly Opelka, ranked No. 73, in a 7-6(6), 6-4 defeat. This loss, reported by The Roar and ABC News, puts de Minaur at risk of losing his crucial top-eight seed for the US Open, starting August 24, 2025, which would have ensured he avoids top players like Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz until at least the quarterfinals.
Match Recap
Despite a perfect 5-0 record against the 211cm Opelka, de Minaur struggled with the American’s booming serve, which delivered 14 aces and 38 winners, saving all seven break points in the 1-hour-41-minute match, per Fox Sports. De Minaur’s subpar serving, as Opelka noted, “I didn’t serve as well as I’d have liked, but everything else was working,” allowed the American to capitalize, per theroar.com.au. This defeat followed de Minaur’s strong North American swing, including a Washington title and a Toronto quarterfinal loss to Ben Shelton (6-3, 6-4), per @crosscourt1 on X.
Seeding Implications
De Minaur’s No. 8 ranking, with 3,585 points, is now vulnerable as he defends 180 points from last year’s Cincinnati third round, per PIF ATP Rankings. Close pursuers like Casper Ruud (No. 9, 3,515 points) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 10, 3,420 points) could overtake him with deep Cincinnati runs, per tennis-infinity.com. A top-eight seed is critical for a favorable US Open draw, especially given de Minaur’s 24 hard-court wins in 2025, a tour-leading figure, and his quarterfinal history at Flushing Meadows (2020, 2024), per abc.net.au. Fans on X, like @TheTennisTalker, expressed concern: “Demon’s early exit could cost him big at the US Open.”
Outlook
De Minaur, with a 33-14 season record and a 10th career title in Washington, remains a US Open contender but faces pressure to regain form. His next chance to prepare is in New York, where he aims to leverage his 69% US Open win rate (18-8), per thetennisgazette.com. Posts on X, such as @abcsport, highlight the setback but note his resilience, while @danspickz’s claim of a 0-12 record against top-10 players in 2025 underscores the challenge against elite opponents. De Minaur’s focus now shifts to recovery and training to secure his seeding and avoid early clashes with Sinner or Alcaraz.
