A review of the stellar highlights package Alex de Minaur compiled in his superb third round triumph over Dan Evans at the US Open on Saturday night was both entertaining and proof of a change in his mindset.
Having entered the tournament under a cloud as he continued his recovery from a hip injury, the movement of the Australian has improved as he has progressed.
Against the hardy Evans, a durable veteran who has rediscovered his love for tennis, there were several signs that de Minaur was now prepared to put his foot to the floor more regularly.
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Put simply, the speedy ‘Demon’ had his dash back when successful 6-4 6-7 (4) 6-0 6-0.
As the person in charge of the US Open social media account put it after a sublime point at 3-all, deuce in the first set, de Minaur is “all gas, no brakes”.
“I would not say (I’m) 100 percent but today was a big step in the right direction,” he said.
“I felt like there were stages there where I was sliding from the back of the court and even coming to the net and sliding into volleys and moving quite fluidly, which is something that I’ve definitely haven’t done as of yet in this tournament.
“So that means I’m trending upwards and that is exactly the way I want to be trending.”
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De Minaur, who is looking forward to playing compatriot Jordan Thompson on Monday for a spot in the quarterfinals, became the first Australian to reach at least the last 16 at the four grand slams since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 with his victory.
The No.10 also reached the last 16 a year ago in New York but said he is no longer satisfied with just making it to the second week of grand slams.
“Human beings, we are never satisfied, right? We always want more,” he said.
“A couple of years ago this was my goal …. to make the second week of slams, because it’s something that was so difficult for me to achieve in previous years.
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“But now it’s about getting (to the) deep end of tournaments. So I want to be going deep, playing with the best players in the world.
“It was a big stepping stone getting through the first week, but now the second week is when the big tournament begins, and that’s when you have got to play your best tennis. So hopefully I can, I can do that.”
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