De Minaur Cruises into Fourth Round at Indian Wells, Becomes Last Australian Standing

De Minaur Cruises into Fourth Round at Indian Wells

Australia's top-ranked tennis player, Alex de Minaur, has continued his impressive form at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, cruising into the fourth round with a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory over Hubert Hurkacz. The world number 10, seeded ninth for the ATP 1000 event, displayed his power and precision on the court, overcoming the challenge of the Polish player in just 74 minutes.

This win marks a significant milestone for de Minaur, as he becomes the sole remaining Australian player in the tournament. His compatriots, Nick Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson, Chris O'Connell, Alexei Popyrin, Alexandar Vukic, Rinky Hijikata, Li Tu, and Adam Walton, all bowed out earlier in the week.

The first set saw a closely contested battle, with both players holding serve until the seventh game. De Minaur then broke Hurkacz's serve, capitalizing on his only set point to take the lead. The second set, however, was a one-sided affair, with de Minaur dominating the court. He broke Hurkacz's serve three times, showcasing his aggressive play and securing a comfortable victory.

De Minaur's next opponent will be the 25th seed, Francisco Cerundolo, who defeated Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp in straight sets. This match promises to be another exciting encounter, as both players are known for their aggressive styles of play.

Meanwhile, in other matches on Monday, Jack Draper survived a scare against Jenson Brooksby, ultimately winning in straight sets to book his place in the last 16 for the second time in his career. The young British player acknowledged the difficulty of facing Brooksby's unorthodox style but expressed satisfaction with his fighting spirit and ability to stay composed under pressure.

The BNP Paribas Open continues to unfold with thrilling matches and unexpected upsets. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on de Minaur as he aims to continue his winning streak and potentially reach the latter stages of the competition.