By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 6, 2025
What a distinction a yr makes. Suppose again 52 weeks and bear in mind one of the crucial heartbreaking moments of the 2024 tennis season: A fearful Alex de Minaur injuring his hip on the final level of his victory over Arthur Fils within the fourth spherical.
The Aussie was via the spherical, however a darkish cloud had emerged. As an alternative of going through Novak Djokovic within the quarterfinals he was pressured to tug out and wouldn’t take the courtroom once more for 2 months, on the US Open.
On Saturday at Wimbledon, a wholesome De Minaur zoomed into the fourth spherical to e book – you guessed it – a showdown with seven-time champion Djokovic.
What a distinction a yr makes…
“It was a brutal time for me final yr, having to take care of all of these feelings. However right here we’re a yr later, able to go”12 months after damage pressured him to withdraw vs Djokovic, Alex De Minaur will get his crack at him on Monday
Wrapping Day 6https://t.co/xRDaW9CwaQ
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“It’s humorous how life works,” De Minaur instructed reporters. “Right here we’re a yr later, and I’ll get that matchup. It’s a spherical earlier. However nonetheless, it was a brutal time for me final yr having to take care of all of these feelings. However right here we’re a yr later feeling good, able to go, and I’ll get my probability once more. So I am excited for that.”
Credit score De Minaur for coming again sturdy. He’s 1-2 lifetime in opposition to Djokovic, with a win over the legend on the United Cup in 2024. Djokovic is aware of that he’s in for his hardest check of the fortnight on Monday.
“He is taking part in the tennis of his life,” Djokovic stated. “He is positively knocking on the door of the ultimate levels of Grand Slams. He is gotten to the quarters a number of instances.
“Final yr needed to pull out sadly due to his damage. This yr once more he is there. He hasn’t dropped a set. He is taking part in effectively. You are not tremendous excited to play Alex de Minaur on grass, that is for certain, as a result of he is so fast and he is a whole participant, throughout.
“He has gained tempo on his serve, as effectively. He hits his spots very effectively. Only a powerful, very powerful problem… I am trying ahead to it. I believe it should be an amazing check to see the place my recreation is at in opposition to a prime participant like Alex.”
