Alex de Minaur has reached a notable hardcourt milestone, advancing to the semifinals of the ATP 500 Washington Open with a commanding 6-4, 6-4 victory over American wildcard Brandon Nakashima on Friday, July 25, 2025, at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C. The seventh-seeded Australian, currently ranked No. 11, notched his 20th win on the hardcourt surface this season, solidifying his reputation as a force on this terrain with a remarkable 26-3 record against players outside the top 30 in 2025. This triumph, marking his third semifinal of the year and 28th overall, positions him one step from matching his 2018 runner-up finish in the same event, a feat that underscores his resurgence after a challenging start due to injury.
The match, concluding at approximately 10:00 PM EDT (3:00 AM WAT on Saturday, July 26, 2025), showcased de Minaur’s tactical prowess against the 23-year-old Nakashima, ranked No. 54. Breaking serve early in both sets, de Minaur maintained pressure with a 68% first-serve win rate and converted three of five break-point opportunities, despite Nakashima’s spirited home crowd support. His agility and defensive skills, honed after overcoming a hip injury that sidelined him early in 2025, were on full display, with 18 winners offsetting 17 unforced errors. Post-match, de Minaur reflected on the milestone, stating, “It’s been a good year on hard courts, and to get to 20 wins feels special, especially here where I’ve had some great memories.”
De Minaur’s next challenge is an intriguing semifinal clash against unseeded Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who stunned No. 7 seed Daniil Medvedev 7-6(4), 6-4 in a late-night upset. This matchup pits de Minaur’s consistency—evidenced by his fourth-round Wimbledon run against Novak Djokovic—against Moutet’s unpredictable flair, setting the stage for a compelling battle on Saturday evening. With no points to defend until the US Open due to his 2024 injury-enforced absence, this run has elevated his live ranking to No. 11, narrowing the gap to the top 10 and boosting his confidence for the North American swing, including the Canadian Open and US Open.
The milestone is particularly significant given de Minaur’s early-season struggles, where a hip issue left him with zero ranking points temporarily. His recovery, supported by a shift in mentality to focus on “small victories,” has yielded nine ATP titles and a career-high hardcourt prowess. Fans on X have celebrated the achievement, with @DemonDemic posting, “20 hardcourt wins—Alex is back and unstoppable!” As the early morning hours tick by at 04:50 AM WAT on July 26, 2025, in West Africa, de Minaur’s milestone not only highlights his physical resilience but also his strategic evolution, positioning him as a dark horse for the Washington title and a potential US Open contender, where he aims to build on last year’s quarter-final run.
