NEW RECORDS: Alex de Minaur in staggering 45-year first as Aussie men make extraordinary tennis history
Alex de Minaur Makes History at Monte Carlo Masters as Aussie Duo Achieve Unprecedented Feat
Alex de Minaur has carved his name into the history books by becoming the first Australian in 45 years to reach consecutive quarter-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters. But he’s not alone—fellow Aussie Alexei Popyrin joined him in the last eight, marking a historic moment for Australian men’s tennis.
On Thursday, both players pulled off remarkable upsets on Monaco’s iconic Court No. 2. Popyrin kicked things off by saving two match points in a gritty 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win over World No.7 Casper Ruud. De Minaur followed with a stunning 6-2, 6-2 demolition of World No.11 and Grand Slam champion Daniil Medvedev.
A Landmark Moment for Aussie Tennis
This is the first time two Australian men have ever made the quarter-finals of a clay-court Masters 1000 tournament. For de Minaur, currently sitting at World No.8 in the live rankings, the victory continues his strong momentum on the tour. He now faces World No.18 Grigor Dimitrov, while Popyrin will take on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (World No.42).
Popyrin, who came into Monte Carlo with only two wins on the year, sees this week as a fresh start. “I’m 3-0 this year,” he laughed post-match. “I’m forgetting about the start of the season. It’s been a tough few months, but this week I’ve reset, put in the work, and it’s paying off.”
De Minaur Dismantles Medvedev
De Minaur dominated Medvedev in just 72 minutes, breaking serve seven times. Known for his distaste for clay, the Russian never found his rhythm. De Minaur credited his tactical execution and smart play, saying, “I felt dangerous out there. I took confidence from beating Daniil at Roland Garros last year and built on that.”
Path Opens Up in Monte Carlo
With big names like Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev already knocked out, the Monte Carlo draw has opened up. Elsewhere, World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz cruised past Daniel Altmaier and will next face rising French star Arthur Fils. Stefanos Tsitsipas, de Minaur’s long-time rival, looked ominous in his 6-1, 6-1 win over Nuno Borges and will meet Lorenzo Musetti in the next round after the Italian ousted Matteo Berrettini.
A Resurgence for Aussie Tennis
The success of de Minaur and Popyrin in Monte Carlo signals a resurgence for Australian tennis on clay, a surface where the nation has historically struggled. With the clay-court season heating up, all eyes are now on how far this duo can go.
