Alex de Minaur’s 2025 US Open campaign ended in heartbreak on September 3, 2025, as he fell to Felix Auger-Aliassime in a grueling four-hour, 10-minute quarterfinal match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with a scoreline of 4-6, 7-6(9-7), 7-5, 7-6(7-4). The defeat, reported by *Express.co.uk* and *ESPN*, marked de Minaur’s sixth loss in six Grand Slam quarterfinals, leaving the Australian No. 1 “seeing red” over a missed opportunity to reach his first major semifinal. His frustration stemmed from a subpar performance, particularly his serving, which plummeted to a 42% first-serve percentage and included 11 double faults, as noted by Tim Henman on *Eurosport*.
De Minaur started strongly, winning the first set 6-4 with his signature speed and defensive prowess, even dazzling the crowd with a tweener lob in the second set, per *The Independent*. However, he squandered a set point in the second-set tiebreaker, where Auger-Aliassime’s 120 mph ace shifted momentum. De Minaur led 5-2 in the fourth set but faltered, unable to force a decider. “I feel like this one was on my racket, and it is a shame,” he told reporters, per *ESPN*, lamenting his failure to capitalize against a player he felt he could have beaten, unlike previous losses to dominant opponents like Jannik Sinner. “I’m definitely, as of right now, seeing red,” he added, reflecting his raw disappointment.
Henman pinpointed de Minaur’s serving collapse as the critical issue, with Jim Courier echoing that he couldn’t “recall ever seeing de Minaur struggle so much” on serve. Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 27, leveraged his 22 aces and 51 winners to secure his second US Open semifinal, per *ATP Tour*. De Minaur’s 93 unforced errors, combined with Auger-Aliassime’s, made for a scrappy match, as *BBC Sport* noted, with both players feeling the pressure of the occasion.
Despite the loss, de Minaur’s 2025 season has been strong, with a 41-16 record and a seventh-place ranking in the ATP Live Race to Turin, per *ATP Tour*. His thoughtful approach to his coaching team—balancing family time for mentors like Lleyton Hewitt, as mentioned in *Yahoo Sports*—highlights his character. However, the recurring quarterfinal barrier, including losses to Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, and Jack Draper, weighs heavily. De Minaur admitted, “It’s tough when you’re constantly putting yourself in positions to prove people wrong, and you fall.” As he shifts focus to the 2026 Australian Open, refining his serve and mental resilience under pressure will be key to breaking through.
