De Minaur stretched in all-Australian first-round battle at Wimbledon 2024 | 3 July, 2024 | All Information | Information and Options | Information and Occasions

Alex de Minaur has emerged triumphant in his first Grand Slam singles assembly with a fellow Australian. Nonetheless, the ninth seed was pressured to dig deep to make a profitable begin to his Wimbledon 2024 marketing campaign.

He navigated some impressed play from James Duckworth, plus a number of prolonged rain delays, earlier than ultimately prevailing 7-6(1) 7-6(3) 7-6(4) in an all-Australian showdown at Court docket 12.

“It positively wasn’t straightforward by any means,” De Minaur mentioned.

“It’s by no means straightforward taking part in a fellow Aussie. Taking part in Geese, who is a good grass-court participant, and beginning your Wimbledon marketing campaign is just not straightforward, however I’m glad to be by way of.”

The 32-year-old Duckworth, a fortunate loser within the draw, pushed the Aussie No.1 all through the three-hour and four-minute encounter. The world No.81 even served for each the second and third units.

However 25-year-old De Minaur in the end had too many solutions, proving why he’s a top-10 star by lifting within the tightest moments. He completed the match with 49 winners, together with 16 aces.

The straight-sets victory improves De Minaur’s document to 22 wins from his 30 profession conferences in opposition to an Australian opponent.

He has solely misplaced to an Aussie participant twice prior to now 5 years. Alexei Popyrin had his measure on the Paris Masters in 2021, whereas Nick Kyrgios was victorious once they met on the Canadian Masters in 2022. That is his second victory in opposition to Duckworth.

Following his match, De Minaur rushed to help British girlfriend Katie Boulter as she edged out a 7-6(6) 7-5 first-round victory in opposition to Wimbledon 2022 semifinalist Tatjana Maria.

“I positively would have moderately she gained one and one, I’ll inform you that. That manner I in all probability may have relaxed,” he smiled.

“I assume it was a superb day on the family. I by no means knew we had been so good at taking part in tiebreaks.”

By way of to the second spherical at Wimbledon for the fifth time in his profession, De Minaur subsequent faces Spaniard Jaume Munar.

De Minaur not too long ago defeated world No.63 Munar within the second spherical at Roland Garros, then went on to achieve the quarterfinals in a career-best run.

“I’m very intrigued for this match-up,” De Minaur mentioned. “Clearly I performed him on clay, however I feel I can’t take something out of that match, if I’m fully sincere, going into taking part in him on grass. It’s fully polar reverse surfaces. I feel it’s going to be much more on my racquet.”