Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson will joust for a US Open quarter-final spot as Australia’s extraordinary assault on the season’s last grand slam hit a 36-year high.
De Minaur wore down veteran British marathon man Dan Evans 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 6-0 to clinch a last-16 berth for a fifth consecutive slam after the seed-slaying Thompson claimed yet another big scalp on day six in New York.
After sending world No.7 Hubert Hurkacz packing in round two, Thompson took out 30th seed Matteo Arnaldi 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-5) to storm into the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for a second time.
With Alexei Popyrin basking in the glory of his stunning defeat of defending champion Novak Djokovic, Australia has converted its biggest US Open contingent in 43 years into three players in the men’s last 16 for the first time since 1988.
That year, Darren Cahill reached the semi-finals as Mark Woodforde and John Frawley both made round four.
“It’s so good for Australian tennis to show what we’re capable of,” de Minaur said.
“Alexei putting on a show last night, beating Novak. Jordan playing some incredible tennis.
“It’s a pitty we have to play each other but I have to say that we’re all from Sydney so there’s something special out there.”
In a twist, it was now-super-coach Cahill who helped deny a fourth Australian from advancing, with his top-ranked charge Jannik Sinner eliminating Chris O’Connell 6-1 6-4 6-2.
But after shifting up a couple of gears to produce his most impressive tennis of the tournament, de Minaur suddenly looks like a man on a mission again.
Playing his first singles event since withdrawing from Wimbledon with a hip injury, de Minaur felt he was only functioning at 85 per cent of his physical capacity in the first two rounds.
But the world No.10’s movement was lightning in a quality contest with Evans, who has made a habit of knocking out Australians in New York.
De Minaur, though, avoided enduring the same Flushing Meadows fate as James Duckworth in 2022, Popyrin three years ago and Bernard Tomic in 2013.
He ran Evans ragged on Louis Armstrong Stadium, four days after the 34-year-old featured in a five-hour, 35-minute epic, the longest US Open match in history, with Karen Khachanov.
Following up his foray to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and fourth-round run in Melbourne, de Minaur is also the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt 20 years ago to reach the last 16 at all four slams in a single season.
“I’m super proud of what I’ve been able to achieve this year,” he said.
Thompson will take a power of stopping, though, when the Davis Cup teammates collide on Monday (Tuesday AEST).
Also playing the tennis of his life, having won his maiden ATP title this year in Los Cabos and made the final in Atlanta, the proud Paris Olympian has now matched his career-best grand slam run from the 2020 US Open.
Yet to drop a set this campaign, Thompson is set to claim a new career-high ranking inside the world’s top 30 and believes he is only now starting to peak at age 30.
“It is hard to argue with. I feel like I am getting better as I get older,” Thompson said.
“It is definitely the best I have been playing in my career and my results and ranking dictate that.”
Popyrin, the 28th seed, meets world No.20 Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round on Sunday night (9am Monday AEST) in a prime-time showdown.
HOW THE AUSSIES FARED ON DAY SIX OF THE US OPEN:
Men’s singles, third round
10-Alex de Minaur bt Dan Evans (ENG) 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 6-0
Jordan Thompson bt 30-Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-5)
Chris O’Connell lost to 1-Jannik Sinner (ITA) 6-1 6-4 6-2
