Alex de Minaur Press Conference | 2024 US Open Round 4

we can start Alex if you would your thoughts on the win yeah um I'm happy happy with the win it's never easy playing a uh a friend and a fellow teammate um in in a big match so it wasn't easy but uh I did what I needed to do and happy to be uh in the quarterfinals here again thank you questions might start with the extraordinary Alex have you ever won 18 games in a row at any level before have you ever won 18 games in a row at any level before then alone yeah I I can't say I remember uh if if I've ever done that but yeah um obviously I got off to a good side today and but you know the funny thing about uh uh winning sets 60 it's I don't think it's the best thing in the world because I feel like uh there's a bit more added pressure and and your opponent just yeah relaxes a little bit more uh so but yeah again I couldn't have asked for for a better start today and I think it was important and yeah can't remember the last last time I won 18 games in a row Charlie congrats on the win I just wanted to ask what you mentioned there about the kind of difficulty of playing a good friend what's what what exactly is that like I'm thinking like before during and after the match it's it's difficult because obviously um Tomy I I see him every day at the courts right and we have a chat and and we talk kind of uh normally and and all of a sudden we're we're playing each other so we're kind of we're both we we still say hello to each other but we probably don't engage in in as lengthy conversation as as we would normally uh not that we have anything against each other it's just a little bit of That Awkward Moment that we know that we're about to play each other and then when we're on the court we know each other so well uh from years and years that I think we both know how to make each other play badly in the sense of we know each other weaknesses so all of a sudden the the level of the match becomes always a little bit Scrappy uh that plus uh obviously a bit of nerves from from both of us it it doesn't always equate to to the best quality match but I think the the best thing is as soon as we're done we're both back to normal and we can have a a good chat afterwards and you know Jordan he's one of the best um best play players uh that no matter if he wins or loses as soon as he steps off the court he has a a genuine conversation with you like nothing nothing happen so I do appreciate that from him Willie and then Craig Alex how would you describe the journey you've had from those emotions we saw in you at Wimbledon and the pain you were in to the opportunity you have right now yeah it's been a it's been a whirlwind um the last 78 weeks uh I've I've dealt with with a lot of emotions a lot of experiences that um have taken a a big chunk of of my energy and resources um coming in I didn't didn't have too many expectations uh the hip wasn't close to 100% um it wasn't feeling amazing I just was going to go out there and see what I was able to do and you know slowly it's been feeling better and better each day so all of a sudden everything has happened with the draws a lot of upsets and you're staring at this opportunity and in a way it's been a blessing in disguise cuz I haven't put too much pressure on myself because I know how I felt with my hip but at the same time every day I felt better and better so it's uh hopefully I'm peing for for the right moment C then Alex Alex um it's going to be in one sense of maybe a bit easier coming up against dra compared to facing tommo um three you've had three wins against him out of three matches so how different or similar do you think the next this quarterfinal is going to be well I think the biggest thing that we need to understand is that uh there's nothing sure in tennis right doesn't matter uh how many times you've played someone um it doesn't it doesn't mean much so uh playing uh Jack he's coming off his best year um by far he's playing with a lot of confidence he's got some very big weapons uh his serve uh backand and forehand uh at times so it's always tough um facing someone like him especially a lefty I've had some success in the past I'm going to try and draw on that on what I was able to do well in those types of matches um and just it's the quarterfinals of a slam I'm I'm going to go out there and give it my all and compete and these matches are there to to be one um being passive is not going to get the job done so uh I'm looking forward to to the opportunity and excited for for the match Alex spoke very passionately the other day about uh state of origin tennis and New South Wales what not the the pommy joury here are already calling your next match the ashes you'd be pretty uh ke to win one first row wouldn't you yeah I mean do one for Australia do one for myself as well um look I've played uh I've played plenty of Brits um it's it's never easy uh I feel a little bit of of a hostile in that country at the moment but again these are these are the types of matches I want to be playing I worked so hard to put myself in this position um throughout the years uh so many hours off the court uh on the court working on Little Things cuz these are the matches I want to be playing um tail end up slams opportunities quarterfinals yeah I'm excited for the battle depends depends on the day uh depends who I'm playing as well uh but yeah at times uh at Wimbledon I was he keep making new Milestones every sort of time to step on court savingly um you're the first Aussie to make three grand slam quarterfinals since Leighton he's obviously one of your mentors and Idols I mean is it nice to be spoken about in that sort of level yeah it's always it's always nice to to achieve milestones and you know as you guys probably know I'm I do it with you know my head focus on on playing tennis doing what I do best trying to keep improving uh I don't make too much fuss uh and I just you know put my head down and work on my craft so I'm I'm excited that the results are are showing and yeah um just got to keep on winning tennis matches last question Jordan was uh you talked about Jordan coming off the court and you have a chat ET he was saying you've been in the ice bath basically together but did that moment that curious moment uh early in the third set come up where you've hit the that lob and and the hat falls off behind and you were you a bit puzzled by that and has that happened have you had that sort of rolling before that's that's happened to me so many times like I'm normally the one with my hat uh just falling um yeah the only thing that that I felt puzzling is that I wasn't sure and I actually in the moment didn't ask the ref but I was curious if I would have hit a winner on the next point on the next shot if it still would have been uh a replay or not because I've had times where my hat has fallen off I've stopped but the opponent hasn't and the referee deem it as it only is um yeah it's only endangering me and not my opponent therefore it's not a replay of point so yeah I I didn't didn't know what the case was today but again I've been through that many times it's always in my eyes it should always be a lad and the same way that if it happens again you lose the point but I was going to say does it does you the court actually you know does it constitute inside the baselines for example because minan this is you know Jordan's hat was about a you me I genuinely don't know it feels like the rule just changes depending on on the ref uh if if I'm honest uh I wouldn't be able to tell you the actual rule book because I've I've had so many different situations where they've played it off different ways uh but in my eyes I feel like anytime the hat falls off should be replay point no matter what obviously if it happens again you lose the point Thank you guys fell off the other day as well and he caught it and continued to play the point yeah i' I I that happened to me a couple times as well and that's actually worse because then the referee doesn't deem it as as as a let so you know you try to do the good thing and catch it like a normal reflex but yeah it it hinders you more than helps you so if the hat is falling off just let it fall off and then make sure it doesn't fall off again thank you guys thank you thanks my hats off to you mate