Australian Alex de Minaur is again questioning if he has what it takes to break into tennis’ grand elite and win a slam like the Australian Open or Wimbledon, after losing in an upset to lower-ranked Italian Flavio Cobolli at SW19.
The sixth-ranked Aussie was favourite to beat Cobolli in the fourth round, but eventually went out in straight sets, 7–5, 7–6(7–4), 6–3.
Maybe worse, “Demon” broke Cobolli four times in the match and led 5–2 in the second set. That momentum didn’t last long enough to really matter though, and the 27-year-old lost 12 of the next 13 points and had to watch the Italian ninth seed storm back to win it in a tiebreak.
De Minaur then had a break and a 2–0 lead in the third rubber, but the French Open finalist rallied to win six of the next seven.
The Aussie was left questioning it all on Court 1 at SW19.
“I’m broken inside. That’s the reality,” de Minaur said post-match.
“You invest so many hours into this job and so many years to have moments like these. Not being able to live up to it is truly heartbreaking. It’s very hard.
“How do you explain it? Just not good enough mentally. That’s how you explain it. The issue is playing this match like I’ve got the weight of the world on my shoulders. I need to deal with it better, because if not, I’m just not going to be able to achieve the goals and dreams I’ve got.
“Sadly, it feels like [these] keep on coming. This is just another to add to the tally.”
It hurt De Minaur all the worse because it was such a good chance for him to make the final four at a grand slam for the first time; red-hot wildcard Arthur Fery had waited in the quarterfinals, then American Taylor Fritz would have been the likely opponent in the quarterfinals.
The Aussie No.1 also warned his fans that he may not enter any tournaments again for the foreseeable future as he looks to navigate the disappointment – which may include the U.S. Open in late August.
“I won’t be playing a tournament for a while. But again, they keep piling up,” he said. “The goals, the belief, and the dreams you have start fading away or feeling a little bit further out of reach than they once were.
“I feel like a couple of years ago I was definitely closer. Now I just feel like I’m drifting a little further away from those dreams. It’s getting harder and harder.”
The world number six has never been one to truly give up though – in any professional clash he’s played, or on the tour – and backtracked a little before leaving the court: He may have to take a short break, but he won’t be away from anything for longer than he needs to be.
“I’m a competitor through and through. So I’ll get back up, and I’ll give myself another chance,” he said, leaving Aussie fans with some hope.
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