"Right now I’m looking at this as a wasted opportunity": Alex de Minaur frustrated after US Open loss

Alex de Minaur left the court after a hard-fought loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime at the US Open, 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, 7-6(4), reflecting on a missed opportunity to make a deeper run. “Right now I’m looking at this as a wasted opportunity. It’s tough,” de Minaur admitted on his press conference. The Australian has been remarkably consistent in recent years, often reaching the quarterfinals of major tournaments, but advancing beyond that stage has remained elusive. Today’s match, filled with tension and tight points, underscored the fine margins between victory and defeat at the highest level.

De Minaur was candid about his struggles on key points. “The biggest thing for me has been my serve. My serve has been letting me down in big matches,” he said. Despite putting himself in positions to extend rallies and fight back, he couldn’t find the consistency needed to challenge Auger-Aliassime. “I played too many points with my second serve, and as the match went on, I was starting points on the back foot too often,” he added, highlighting how serving under pressure can change the course of a match.

Even when he did manage moments of control, de Minaur found them fleeting. “There were some good moments, but they didn’t last long,” he said, describing how fleeting momentum allowed his opponent to take the crucial points. His baseline game remained solid, but small lapses and tight moments in tie-breaks ultimately tilted the match in Auger-Aliassime’s favor. For de Minaur, it was another instance of reaching the quarterfinal stage but not being able to go further.

Frustration was evident, yet de Minaur maintained perspective. “It’s tough. You work so hard and constantly put yourself in positions to prove people wrong, but yet again, it slips away,” he said. He acknowledged that the loss was particularly frustrating because he felt the match was within his grasp. Still, he stressed that the experience provides lessons to carry forward into the next tournaments.

De Minaur admitted he hadn’t felt entirely comfortable during the match. “I haven’t really felt comfortable on the court,” he said, reflecting on the tension and nerves that affected both players. Despite flashes of brilliance, he couldn’t maintain the momentum needed to turn critical points in his favor.

He also reflected on his mental approach under pressure. “Today was a chance to break new ground, and I was nowhere near the level I needed to be at,” he said. The frustration of repeatedly reaching quarterfinals but not advancing beyond them weighed heavily, especially against a player as consistent and tough as Auger-Aliassime.

De Minaur highlighted how his serve has been a recurring challenge in late-stage matches. “I’m not expecting to serve like Felix and hit 20 aces, but my percentage needs to be much higher,” he explained. Starting points on the back foot due to second serves created extra pressure, forcing him into defensive positions and affecting groundstroke consistency.

“I put myself in positions to extend the match again, like I did against Novak at Wimbledon, but it’s pretty tough to win a high-quality match serving the way I did today,” de Minaur added. Improving serve reliability in pressure moments will be key to breaking past the quarterfinal stage in future majors.

Despite the disappointment, de Minaur remained determined. “Right now, I’m definitely seeing red, but I’ll get over it. It’s just tennis,” he said. The Australian will focus on refining his serve, mental toughness, and tactical decisions in high-pressure points to convert more close matches into wins.

While consistent quarterfinal appearances reflect his strong game over the past seasons, de Minaur hopes to take the next step in his career. With small adjustments and continued resilience, he aims to finally advance deeper into Grand Slams and capitalize on opportunities that have narrowly slipped away in previous years.