NEW DELHI: Alex de Minaur, the 11th seed, achieved a significant milestone for Australian tennis at the French Open on Monday, becoming the first man from his country to reach the quarter-finals at Roland Garros since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.
De Minaur staged an impressive comeback, defeating fifth seed Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 on Suzanne Lenglen court.
Despite Medvedev's strong record against De Minaur, having lost only twice in their previous eight encounters, the Australian showed resilience and determination.
Medvedev took the first set with relative ease, but his performance was hampered by a foot problem that required a medical timeout midway through the second set.
De Minaur capitalised on Medvedev's struggles, mounting a spirited comeback and winning the second set convincingly.
The Australian's relentless retrieval of shots and superb winners earned him loud cheers from the crowd. He carried this momentum into the third set, racing to a 5-1 lead before closing it out.
In the fourth set, the two players exchanged early breaks, but De Minaur pulled away shortly after, securing a memorable victory and a spot in his first French Open quarter-final.
The 25-year-old's achievement marks a significant breakthrough for Australian tennis on the Parisian clay courts.
(With Reuters inputs)
