Wed Jan 22 20:26:23 UTC 2025: ## De Minaur’s Australian Open Dream Shattered by Sinner

**Melbourne, Australia** – Australian tennis hope Alex de Minaur’s Australian Open campaign ended in crushing defeat, leaving him feeling “slapped across the face” after a straight-sets loss to defending champion Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.

Sinner dominated the match, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in just under two hours, extending de Minaur’s losing streak against the Italian to ten matches. The defeat dashed Australia’s hopes for a homegrown men’s singles champion and marked a bitter end to what had otherwise been a strong tournament for the world number eight.

De Minaur, who carried the weight of national expectation, acknowledged the disappointment, stating, “After playing some great tennis on home soil and gaining so much, you feel like you’ve just been slapped across the face… to finish off like that.” He highlighted the positive aspects of his performance leading up to the quarter-final, but ultimately the crushing loss overshadowed his achievements.

Sinner, who is aiming for his third Grand Slam title after his US Open victory, praised de Minaur’s competitiveness but attributed his win to early breaks in each set. He will now face American Ben Shelton in the semi-finals.

Despite the setback, de Minaur remains optimistic, stating his intention to analyze his performance with his team and devise a strategy to overcome Sinner in future encounters. He insisted that this loss does not represent his peak, vowing to continue improving and pushing for greater success.

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