Andrey Rublev Stuns De Minaur in Australian Open Marathon

In a windy evening in Melbourne, Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur faced a defeat in the Australian Open last 16 at the hands of the No 5 seed, Andrey Rublev. Despite taking sets two and three and initially appearing fresher, De Minaur succumbed to Rublev’s heightened aggression in the fourth and fifth sets, losing the match 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0 in 4 hours and 14 minutes. This marks De Minaur’s third consecutive exit in the fourth round, contributing to the 48-year drought for Australian men at their home Grand Slam tournament. Rublev’s powerful play, especially in the final sets left the audience in awe and he attributed his improved performance to a shift in mindset due to fatigue. The Russian will now face the No 4 seed, Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.