Alex de Minaur demonstrated why he remains one of the most reliable performers on hard courts, recovering from a slow start to defeat Hamad Medjedovic in four sets at the Australian Open.
While the opening stages suggested a tightly contested battle, the match ultimately highlighted the gap between early promise and sustained Grand Slam execution.
A promising start from the young Serbian
Medjedovic entered the match still searching for momentum following his breakthrough victory at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah in 2024. Since then, consistent results have proven elusive, with his run to the final in Belgrade in 2025 standing out as the lone deep tournament performance.
Against De Minaur, the Serbian showed his potential early. Both players served efficiently in the opening set, with no break points conceded on either side. The set was decided in a tiebreak, where Medjedovic held his nerve to take a surprising lead.
A pause, then a turning point
The interruption came late in the second set, with De Minaur leading 5–2, when rain in Melbourne forced the roof to be closed. After play resumed under indoor conditions, the shift in momentum became even more pronounced.
While Medjedovic struggled to recover his earlier rhythm, De Minaur returned with greater clarity and intensity, using the stoppage to consolidate control and push decisively ahead.
De Minaur accelerates, Medjedovic fades
From 2–2 in the second set onward, the match moved decisively in De Minaur’s favor. The Australian increased his speed around the court and applied relentless baseline pressure, forcing Medjedovic into rushed decisions and mounting errors.
The remaining sets unfolded quickly, with De Minaur closing them out 6–2, 6–2, 6–1, denying the Serbian any real opportunity to mount a comeback.
A lesson in Grand Slam consistency
For Medjedovic, the match served as a reminder that flashes of quality are not enough at this level. Sustaining focus, intensity and tactical discipline across multiple sets — particularly after interruptions and changes in conditions — remains the next challenge in his development.
For De Minaur, the performance reinforced his status as a genuine contender in Melbourne — capable of absorbing early resistance before asserting full control through speed, endurance and experience.
By si.robi – de Minaur MCM23 (39), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132685220
By si.robi – Medjedovic WMQ23, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134832134
his match formed part of a demanding Australian Open Day 4, as second-round battles began to test depth and consistency in Melbourne.