Australian Open loss to Jannik Sinner feels like a slap, says dejected Alex de Minaur

Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur was disappointed after losing the men's singles quarter-final to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open 2025. Minaur said the loss to Sinner felt like a slap across the face.

In Short

• Jannik Sinner beat Alex de Minaur in straight sets
• Minaur was disappointed after the loss to Sinner
• This was De Minaur's 10th consecutive loss vs Sinner

Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur said his quarter-final loss to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open 2025 felt like a slap across the face. De Minaur looked in the form of his life and was touted as Australia's best hope to end a long Grand Slam drought.

However, Jannik Sinner had other plans as the defending champion handed De Minaur a decisive 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 loss in just an hour and 48 minutes. Sinner's win meant that Australia's wait for a homegrown men's singles Grand Slam champion continued.

The loss marked De Minaur's 10th consecutive defeat against Sinner, overshadowing what had otherwise been a strong campaign for the world number eight at Melbourne Park.

"The positives, how I handled everything ... the fact that I came in this year as a top 10 with a lot of expectations, a lot of pressure. The whole country wanted me to do well. I wanted to do well here," De Minaur told reporters.

"I would have loved to do more today, but this is what happens sometimes in tennis. The negative is that after playing some great tennis on home soil and gaining so much, you feel like you've just been slapped across the face, to be honest, to finish off like that."

Sinner will now face American 21st seed Ben Shelton. The world No. 1 Italian is looking to clinch his third major title after winning the US Open in September.

"I feel like today I was feeling everything," Sinner said.

"When you break so early in each set it's a bit easier. But he's a tough competitor, an amazing player. So many people came here for him tonight, but it was an amazing atmosphere. We know each other quite well. We played so many times, we know each other's game so we try to prepare in the best possible way. These matches can go quickly, but things can change fast."

De Minaur admitted that he felt similar disappointment after losing to 24-times major champion Novak Djokovic a few years back.

"I'll survive and keep improving. I need to sit with my team and figure out a way to hurt Jannik on the court," he added.

"That's ultimately the way we've got to look at it and find different ways because at the moment we don't have it. So back to the drawing board, like I've done my whole career. I don't think that this is my ceiling. I've got more in the tank."