Jannik Sinner’s clinical deconstruction of Alex De Minaur was a lesson in class
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The World No. 1 won his quarter-final 6-3 6-2 6-1 and moved a step closer to another Australian Open title. Jannik Sinner continued his quest for consecutive Australian Open titles with a clinical deconstruction of Alex De Minaur in the last of the men’s singles quarter-finals.
![[Jannik Sinner eased into the Australian Open final four and is the favourite to win the title]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/22/9/59/AP25022347095233.jpeg)
Rarely in professional sport is one person so visibly better than their opponent in ever aspect of play than this. Serves, second serves, movement, accuracy, and ball-striking all favoured the 23-year-old who put in a display that validated his ranking as the best tennis player in the world... not that he needed to.
![[Alex De Minaur had no answer to Sinner’s ruthless onslaught]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/22/12/14/AP25020556307099.jpeg)
Sinner had to deal with niggles and illness in his fourth-round victory over Holger Rune but there was no sign of those struggles as he swept De Minaur aside 6-3 6-2 6-1 in straight sets at the Rod Lever Arena. The Italian now faces big serving American Ben Shelton in the last four on Friday as he aims to reach back-to-back finals.
![[Ben Shelton defeated Lorenzo Sonego to set up a semi-final against Sinner]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/22/8/39/AP25022236564099.jpeg)
“These kind of matches can go quickly but they can also change very fast if I go down a level,” said Sinner when discussing his victory on court after the match. It’s safe to say his level didn’t drop once. From the opening set when he broke De Minaur’s serve in the fourth game to the final match point Sinner was a relentless force of constant pressure.
De Minaur came into the match hoping to emulate Australian tennis greats Nick Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt, by reaching the semi-finals of a home tournament. In truth, he never stood a chance. The 25-year-old has now faced Sinner 10 times in his career and has lost every one of those matches. They’ve played 24 sets with De Minaur triumphing in just one. He didn’t come close to challenging for a spot in the semis, though not through a lack of effort.
