There are two ways to look at this. Either Alex de Minaur is not good enough to beat Carlos Alcaraz – and Jannik Sinner, for that matter – or the world’s top two players are in a class of their own. Sadly, for Australia’s top-ranked player, both things are true.
De Minaur’s 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 quarter-final defeat by Alcaraz on a hot, breezy evening at the Australian Open on Tuesday was a humbling experience. The manner of his performances in the opening four rounds suggested that he was ready to push the world No 1. But as the evening unfolded, De Minaur’s chances faded in all-too-familiar fashion.
