Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has powered through to the third round of the Australian Open following a remarkable match where his opponent, Hamad Medjedovic, spectacularly imploded on Wednesday night. The dramatic encounter saw the local favourite overcome an early deficit to secure a commanding victory.
Early Struggles and a Tense Opening Set
The sixth-seeded Aussie faced a challenging start against the big-serving Serbian, who is currently ranked 90th in the world. Medjedovic's powerful groundstrokes and formidable serve initially caused significant problems for de Minaur, preventing any early breakthroughs on return games.
The opening set progressed steadily on serve, inevitably leading to a tense tiebreaker. De Minaur found himself trailing in the crucial moments and, despite saving three set points at 2-6, was unable to prevent Medjedovic from clinching the set with a decisive forehand winner.
A Pivotal Moment Shifts the Momentum
The second set continued with both players holding serve until a critical fifth game. Medjedovic earned the first break point of the match, putting de Minaur under intense pressure. The Australian demonstrated tremendous resilience, digging deep to save the break point and eventually hold serve after an extended and gruelling game.
This marathon game appeared to ignite a spark in de Minaur. He immediately applied pressure in the following game, racing to 0-30 before Medjedovic double-faulted to gift the Aussie three break points. The enthusiastic crowd roared in support of their local hero, prompting a sarcastic thumbs-up and applause from the frustrated Serbian—a moment commentators identified as a turning point in the match.
Although Medjedovic impressively saved those initial three break points with a series of powerful second serves, he ultimately surrendered the break. De Minaur consolidated with a quick hold of serve as his opponent's game began to unravel completely on the other side of the court.
Commentators Note the Dramatic Collapse
Tennis legend John McEnroe, commentating for Nine, observed the unfolding drama. "Let him self-destruct," McEnroe said. "His head is not in this right now." As unforced errors mounted from Medjedovic's racquet, de Minaur remained intensely focused, breaking serve again to comfortably claim the second set.
Australian icon Lleyton Hewitt, watching from de Minaur's player box, concurred with the assessment of Medjedovic's mental disintegration. "Alex was getting a little bit frustrated there and he wasn't able to close out his service game," Hewitt noted. "He had to dig deep, find a way out of that game. And then really it was like a roller coaster that following service game from his opponent. At the moment he has self-destructed, there's no doubt about that."
Rain Delay Fails to Halt De Minaur's Charge
Following the second set, Medjedovic left the court during the break, presumably to regroup. However, an unexpected rain shower then caused a 30-minute delay, temporarily halting proceedings. Many wondered if the interruption might shift momentum, but it proved inconsequential.
De Minaur returned with impeccable timing and relentless intensity, reeling off the next four games to extend his run to eight consecutive games across the second and third sets. His defensive prowess during this period left commentators in awe.
"He's a brick wall ... that was special," exclaimed Todd Woodbridge on Nine. McEnroe added, "That ought to be one of the great defensive points you'll ever see. Incredible that he pulled that out and won that point."
Complete Dominance Seals the Victory
With de Minaur transforming into what Jim Courier described as a "human brick wall," the unforced errors continued to pile up from a disheartened Medjedovic. The Aussie's relentless retrieval and consistent pressure completely dismantled his opponent's game plan and confidence.
"He is so tapped out. De Minaur has completely cracked him," Courier observed. "He's hunched over, looking at the ground, staring and probably thinking about how does this guy get every single ball back."
De Minaur maintained his composure and precision, ultimately running away with a comprehensive 6-7(5) 6-2 6-2 6-1 victory to book his place in the third round. This impressive win provided a bright spot on an otherwise challenging day for Australian tennis, following earlier exits for compatriots Jordan Thompson, Ajla Tomljanovic, Talia Gibson, and Storm Hunter.
