The home favorite Alex de Minaur is safely through to the second round in Melbourne. The 8th seed met Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round of the Australian Open on Rod Laver Arena and scored a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 win.
De Minaur sealed the deal in two hours and 22 minutes, fending off two set points in the second set and sealing the deal with a late break in the third. Alex fired 13 aces and dominated with his first serve. He dropped serve once and kept the pressure on the other side.
Van de Zandschulp fought well in sets two and three, missing a chance to extend the battle. The Dutchman sprayed 50 unforced errors and played against ten break points, suffering five breaks and ending his run in the opening round.
The Aussie No. 1 gets it done! 🇦🇺
Alex de Minaur earns a straight-set win against Botic van de Zandschulp in his home Grand Slam opener! 🙌#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/1teWyjZTVK
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 14, 2025
Alex built the advantage in the shortest and mid-range exchanges. He took charge in the most extended ones, outplaying his rival from the baseline and moving over the top without spending too much time on the court.
The home favorite provided four fine holds in the opening set and cracked the opponent’s initial shot. Botic sprayed a forehand error in the second game of the match, losing serve and experiencing an early setback.
Alex de Minaur, Australian Open 2025© Stream screenshot
De Minaur gained a boost and delivered a break at love in game four after a deep return and a forehand attack. The 8th seed served for the opener at 5-1 and landed a service winner, holding at love and bringing the opener home in 26 minutes.
The Dutchman struggled behind the initial shot in the third game of the second set. He sprayed a forehand error and fell a set and a break down. Alex played a loose service game at 3-2, sending a forehand long and experiencing a break.
Botic saved a break point in the ninth game and moved 5-4 up. He stepped in on the return in the next one and generated two set points. The home favorite saved the first with a fine forehand attack and the second with a service winner before holding for 5-5.
Botic van de Zandschulp, Australian Open 2025© Stream screenshot
Van de Zandschulp wasted a game point in game 11 and sprayed a backhand error to suffer a break and fall 6-5 behind. Alex served for the opener in game 12 and landed an ace on a set point, forging a 6-1, 7-5 lead in an hour and a half.
They both missed a break point early in the third set and again in the middle games. De Minaur secured a fine hold in game eight and locked the result at 4-4. The Aussie made a push on the return in the next one. Botic lost the ground and suffered a break at love after a double fault!
Thus, de Minaur produced a crucial break and moved over the top with an ace at 5-4, celebrating a win on Rod Laver Arena.
Tennis World USA