De Minaur Continues Rotterdam Dominance, O’Connell Also Advances
Alex de Minaur’s impressive run at the Rotterdam Open has continued, with the Australian tennis ace securing his spot in the quarter-finals for the fifth consecutive year. De Minaur’s latest triumph came against three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, in a performance that sees him drawing comparisons to tennis legend Roger Federer.
The top seed delivered a masterclass on the Dutch courts, dispatching Wawrinka with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory. This win marks de Minaur’s fifth successive appearance in the last eight of the Rotterdam tournament, a feat that places him in elite company. Having reached the final in Rotterdam in the last two years, de Minaur is firmly on track to make another deep run, though he is still seeking his maiden title at the event.
His next challenge in the quarter-finals will be against local favourite Botic van de Zandschulp. De Minaur’s groundstrokes were particularly potent against Wawrinka, leaving the Swiss veteran with few openings. The Australian showcased his ability to pounce on any errors, demonstrating a focused and aggressive approach throughout the match.
While de Minaur experienced a brief moment of concern when he dropped his serve to love after securing an early break in the first set, he quickly regrouped. He immediately broke back and then confidently served out the set. The second set proved to be a smoother affair for the Australian, who sealed his impressive victory with a stunning backhand winner down the line.
De Minaur’s quarter-final opponent, Botic van de Zandschulp, also earned his place in the last eight after a hard-fought win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Van de Zandschulp will undoubtedly have the fervent support of the home crowd behind him when he faces de Minaur.
Adding to Australia’s success in Rotterdam, qualifier Chris O’Connell also made it through to the quarter-finals. O’Connell achieved a significant victory by defeating the British World No. 26, Cameron Norrie. O’Connell is now set to face Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the quarter-finals, after Humbert overcame Dutch wildcard Guy Den Ouden with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
Swiatek’s Remarkable Record Broken in Qatar
In stark contrast to the Australian success in Rotterdam, Poland’s Iga Swiatek saw an extraordinary record come to an end at the Qatar Open. The World No. 2 suffered a surprising defeat in the quarter-finals, losing 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 to the unseeded Maria Sakkari of Greece.
Swiatek had held an astonishing 109-0 record in WTA 1000 level matches when winning the first set, a streak that appeared set to continue as she dominated the opening stanza against Sakkari. However, the Greek player, ranked World No. 52, staged a remarkable comeback.
The loss was particularly notable as Swiatek had also been on a four-match winning streak against Sakkari heading into their encounter. Sakkari, a former World No. 3, managed to turn the tables in the second set and then rode a wave of momentum to clinch a tense deciding set. This victory marks Sakkari’s second significant upset of the week, having also defeated Jasmine Paolini in the second round. Her win over Swiatek propels her into her first WTA 1000 semi-final since 2024.
Reflecting on her unexpected triumph, Sakkari commented on the challenge of facing the second-ranked player in the world. “You’re always the underdog when playing against the No. 2 in the world, especially where I’m coming from,” she stated. “But I kept telling myself, even after the first set, that I was playing good tennis, and that I had to stick to my game plan and the way I was playing. I was aggressive, I was brave, and it worked out really well.”
