Alex De Minaur enjoys late birthday gift and his 200th hard-court win on the ATP Tour as he triumphs in Qatar

Alex de Minaur Battles Past Safiullin to Reach Qatar Open Last 16

Alex de Minaur marked a belated birthday celebration with a hard-fought straight-sets victory over Roman Safiullin, securing his place in the Qatar Open last 16.

Fresh off his 26th birthday on Monday, Australia’s No.1 showed no signs of slowing down, overcoming blustery conditions and a late surge from the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist to seal a 6-1, 7-5 triumph on Tuesday.

Strong Start to Another ATP 500 Campaign

De Minaur has been a dominant force in ATP 500 tournaments, amassing a tour-leading 34 wins since 2023, including two titles in Acapulco. Despite the chance to chase a third straight title in Mexico, the World No.6 opted for a high-stakes run through three consecutive 500-level events—Rotterdam, Qatar, and Dubai—seeking valuable ranking points.

The decision appears to be paying off. Tuesday’s victory marked his 12th win of 2025, with his only losses coming against Jannik Sinner (Australian Open quarters) and Carlos Alcaraz (Rotterdam final).

Tougher Test Than Expected

Despite a dominant first set, de Minaur was pushed harder in the second. After racing to a 6-1, 5-3 lead, he found himself two points from victory before Safiullin fought back to level at 5-5.

But the Aussie responded immediately, breaking once more before clinching the match in one hour and 37 minutes.

“Oh man, these are tough days,” de Minaur said after the match.
“It’s cold, it’s windy, you don’t really want to get out of bed, but once you step on court, you’ve got to do what it takes to win—ugly tennis or pretty tennis.”

Despite tricky conditions, de Minaur played with greater consistency, while Safiullin struggled with 44 unforced errors under pressure from the Australian.

Next Up: Botic van de Zandschulp

De Minaur will now face Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp, who defeated Abedallah Shelbayh 7-5, 6-3.

The Australian has won both of their previous encounters, including a dominant straight-sets win at last month’s Australian Open. With his sharp form and a favorable draw, de Minaur is looking well-positioned for another deep ATP 500 run.