(VIDEO) Alex de Minaur bamboozles Felix Auger-Aliassime with incredulous tweener lob at US Open
Alex de Minaur’s 2025 US Open quarterfinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime on September 3, 2025, ended in a painful 4-6, 7-6(9-7), 7-5, 7-6(7-4) loss, but not before the Australian No. 1 electrified Arthur Ashe Stadium with an audacious tweener lob that left fans and commentators in awe. Trailing 4-5 in the second set, de Minaur, known for his speed and defensive wizardry, chased a lob from Auger-Aliassime. With his back to the net, he executed a between-the-legs tweener lob that soared over the Canadian’s head, landing just inside the baseline for a winner. The crowd erupted, and *Eurosport* commentator Tim Henman called it “one of the shots of the tournament,” while *ESPN* labeled it a “jaw-dropping moment” that showcased de Minaur’s flair, per reports from September 4, 2025.
Despite the highlight, de Minaur’s performance was marred by a serving collapse, with a career-low 42% first-serve percentage and 11 double faults, including two in the fourth-set tiebreaker, as noted by *Yahoo Sports*. Henman, analyzing the match, pinpointed the serve as the critical downfall, stating, “That tweener lob showed his brilliance, but his serve let him down badly.” De Minaur won the first set 6-4 but faltered in key moments, squandering a set point in the second-set tiebreaker and a 5-2 lead in the fourth. Auger-Aliassime’s 22 aces and 64% first-serve accuracy, per *ATP Tour*, proved decisive in the four-hour, 10-minute battle.
The tweener lob, while a viral moment shared across X and highlighted by *The Guardian*, couldn’t mask de Minaur’s frustration. Post-match, he told *ESPN*, “I’m seeing red right now… this one was on my racket,” reflecting his disappointment at failing to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal. This marked his sixth quarterfinal loss in majors, a recurring barrier despite a strong 2025 season (41-16 record, No. 7 in ATP Live Race). His strategic team management—prioritizing family time for coaches like Lleyton Hewitt, as mentioned in *Yahoo Sports*—shows his off-court maturity, but on-court execution faltered against Auger-Aliassime’s power.
The shot drew comparisons to Carlos Alcaraz’s flair, with *BBC Sport* noting de Minaur’s rare showmanship as a nod to his growing confidence. However, Auger-Aliassime, advancing to his second US Open semifinal, capitalized on de Minaur’s 93 unforced errors. As de Minaur looks to the 2026 Australian Open, refining his serve under pressure will be crucial to converting moments of brilliance, like the tweener lob, into deeper Grand Slam runs.
