Alcaraz Masterclass Ends Alex de Minaur’s Australian Open Hopes

MELBOURNE (Azat TV) – Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 1, delivered a commanding performance at the Australian Open on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, defeating Australia’s last male hope, Alex de Minaur, in straight sets to advance to his first semi-final in Melbourne. The 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 victory ended de Minaur’s deepest run at his home Grand Slam and marked his seventh career loss in a major quarter-final, prompting further discussion about the high expectations placed on the consistent top-10 player.

Alcaraz’s triumph sets up a highly anticipated semi-final clash against third seed Alexander Zverev, bringing the Spaniard two wins closer to becoming the youngest man in tennis history to complete a career Grand Slam. For de Minaur, the defeat was a tough blow, leaving him still searching for a breakthrough beyond the quarter-final stage at a major tournament.

The Quarter-Final Clash

The highly anticipated match on Rod Laver Arena saw Carlos Alcaraz showcase a statement performance against the spirited home favourite. While Alex de Minaur matched Alcaraz’s intensity early in the high-quality opening set, staying competitive through its entirety, the world No. 1 ultimately secured a crucial break to take it 7-5. From that point, Alcaraz never looked back, asserting his dominance with powerful groundstrokes and tactical precision.

The second and third sets saw Alcaraz elevate his game further, breaking de Minaur’s serve early in both. As former professional Jim Courier observed in commentary for Nine.com.au, ‘Each of these sets have started the same way. Alcaraz holds serve and then he breaks serve.’ De Minaur, despite his relentless effort, found himself increasingly without answers as Alcaraz consistently started ‘on fire,’ as described by Todd Woodbridge, also on Nine.com.au. The final score of 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 reflected Alcaraz’s superior level and ability to generate power on command, leaving de Minaur feeling ‘dejected and deflated,’ according to ATP Tour.

The Weight of Expectation

For Alex de Minaur, reaching the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam is a testament to his consistent performance. The Australian has been a cemented top-10 player, reaching the semi-finals of the season-ending ATP Tour Finals last year and consistently featuring in the second week of major tournaments. He has made the quarter-finals in six of his last eight Grand Slams. Yet, his inability to advance further, particularly at his home Grand Slam, often leads to a narrative of ‘underperformance’ among the tennis-watching public, as noted by ESPN.

De Minaur has now exited at the quarter-final stage of a major on seven occasions without a win. His record against the top two players, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, stands at a frustrating 0-19. Speaking after the match, de Minaur acknowledged the challenge, stating, ‘I can decide to look at it two different ways, right? I can look at the fact that I’m losing to, at the Australian Open, I’ve lost to Rafa (Nadal), Novak, Jannik twice, now Carlos.’ He also conceded that Alcaraz’s ability to ‘generate on command’ means ‘if you leave one ball short, then the point’s over,’ confirming he was ‘playing out of my comfort zone,’ as reported by ATP Tour.

Alcaraz’s Ascent and Challenges Ahead

Carlos Alcaraz’s victory marks a significant milestone as he reaches the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time in his career. The world No. 1 has been on a remarkable trajectory, and his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title continues. He will now face Alexander Zverev, who earlier overcame Learner Tien in a four-set battle, winning 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (3) to return to the semi-finals.

Despite his dominant performance against de Minaur, Alcaraz remains reflective about his game. ‘I could say the level of US Open is higher than the level that I’m playing right now, but it’s pretty close,’ Alcaraz told The Independent, referring to his previous Grand Slam success. He also emphasized the importance of patience in the early stages of the season. ‘This is my first official tournament of the year. For me sometimes, I’m not that patient sometimes. In the first match, I just really want to play at my best level. This is almost impossible. You have to get the rhythm of the competition again.’ Alcaraz credited his team for advising him to ‘be patient’ and assured him his desired level would come.

Tournament Landscape

Beyond the men’s quarter-finals, the Australian Open has seen several other significant results. In the women’s draw, 12th seed Elina Svitolina knocked out Coco Gauff in a brutal 6-1, 6-2 encounter, securing her first Australian Open semi-final berth against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka continued her dominant form, defeating American teenager Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0. Gauff expressed frustration after a video of her smashing her racket privately was broadcast, highlighting issues of privacy at major tournaments, according to The Independent.

Upcoming men’s quarter-finals include Jannik Sinner, who aims to continue his 18-match winning streak in Melbourne against Ben Shelton, a rematch from last year’s semi-final. Novak Djokovic, pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam title, will face Lorenzo Musetti, who reached his first Australian Open semi-final after a walkover from Jakub Mensik in the fourth round. These matches will determine the other two semi-finalists for what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.

The repeated pattern of Alex de Minaur’s deep runs ending at the Grand Slam quarter-final stage against top-tier opponents like Carlos Alcaraz underscores a persistent challenge for players just outside the elite echelon. While his consistency is commendable, the narrative surrounding his performance highlights the significant gap in power and tactical execution that still exists between the tour’s highest-ranked players and the very best, often obscuring the impressive achievement of consistently reaching this level.