Third time lucky for Demon as he wins Rotterdam title for early birthday present

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Alex de Minaur stands by his “necessary” decision to skip Australia’s shock Davis Cup loss to Ecuador after producing a masterful display to win the Rotterdam Open title at his third attempt.

The country’s tennis torch-bearer demolished in-form Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-2 in only 78 minutes to claim his 11th title, including his fourth at ATP 500 level and first on an indoor hardcourt. The victory delivers de Minaur an early birthday present as he prepares to turn 27 on Tuesday.

He ran into Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the past two Rotterdam finals – taking a set off the Spanish superstar last year – but never looked like losing against 2022 champion Auger-Aliassime.

“It feels amazing to finally get over the hump,” de Minaur told this masthead on his way to the airport to return to London to see his fiancée, Katie Boulter, who returned to form with a title win in Ostrava last week.

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“[It was] third time lucky, so to get my name on the board feels great, especially with the way the week went. I didn’t find some of my best tennis until the very last match when it counted. I’m super happy to get my first indoor title as well.”

De Minaur was just off the phone from Boulter, who he will marry at the end of this year, when he spoke to this masthead, joking that the Brit had applied pressure on him to perform this week after her own triumph.

The loved-up couple won grasscourt titles on the same day ahead of Wimbledon two years ago, only four months after they also captured the Acapulco and San Diego titles in the same week.

“It’s funny – we kind of both play well the same week. It’s been a couple of good weeks in the household,” he said.

“I’m on my way to try and catch a flight to London, but I’m not too sure if it’s going to get cancelled or not because it’s snowing like crazy. The plan is to spend a couple of days with her and then fly to Mexico [to play in Acapulco].”

De Minaur’s outstanding performance followed him choosing not to play in the Davis Cup after reaching the last eight at the Australian Open last month.

Australia collapsed without him, suffering the ignominy of losing to an Ecuadorian team without a singles player inside the world’s top 200, which de Minaur described as a “brutal” defeat. The 28-time Davis Cup champion must defeat Hubert Hurkacz-led Poland in November to retain a World Group spot.

“I knew going in they were going to be really tricky conditions – 2800 metres of altitude, on clay, away … I watched every single match. I don’t think Australians should forget what we’ve achieved in the last five to seven years,” he said.

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“We often take lightly making two finals back-to-back, and semi-finals of the Davis Cup, in a pretty brutal competition. I’m sure we’ll bounce back as a nation – and that’s what Australians do.

“I’ve made it nothing but a priority for my whole career, basically, and I don’t think anyone can doubt that, and what it means to me to play Davis Cup and represent the green and gold. This was a necessary one that I needed to sit out.”

De Minaur had lost three of his previous four meetings with Auger-Aliassime, who outlasted him in a four-hours-plus quarter-final at the US Open last year. That defeat cut the Australian deep in what was his best chance to advance to a maiden major semi-final.

De Minaur was the first player to make three consecutive Rotterdam finals, and his slice of revenge means he joins the likes of Sinner, Alcaraz, Roger Federer and Daniil Medvedev on the tournament honour roll.

He also leapfrogs Auger-Aliassime to return to No.6 in the live rankings, and will stay there if American Taylor Fritz loses the Dallas final. The result is a significant step towards him breaking into the top five for the first time, and sees him close within 355 ranking points of fourth-ranked German Alexander Zverev.

“I’ve had a couple of sleepless nights from that [US Open] match, but it is all part of the journey and ultimately improving,” de Minaur said.

“That’s what I’m proud of – the way I adapted and got back on the horse after a tough loss at the Australian Open [to Alcaraz]. I was able to bounce back quickly and play some great tennis, so I got one back.

“It gives me a lot of confidence, especially at the start of the year. I’ve got Acapulco next, then the first Masters of the year, so it is a great week to start off. The goal is to stay consistent, stay persistent, and hopefully, there are going to be some big things coming for me this year.”

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De Minaur struck 10 winners to Auger-Aliassime’s six, and made six fewer unforced errors, complete with making almost 70 per cent of his first serves.

In an unexpected turn of events, it was de Minaur who dictated from the baseline, which was reflected in his dominance of the rallies. The seven-time grand slam quarter-finalist not only won the shorter exchanges, but also eight of the nine points that lasted at least nine shots.

Auger-Aliassime, one of the tour’s most dominant indoor hardcourt players and fresh from winning last week’s Montpellier title, had not dropped serve or a set throughout the tournament entering the Rotterdam final.

But the Canadian second seed did both within the opening 40 minutes against a tactically astute de Minaur.

De Minaur returned Auger-Aliassime’s powerful serve from way behind the baseline before hustling to it, and often inside, once any rally began, while he peppered the world No.6’s less-favoured backhand.

The Australian’s willingness to change direction with his shot-making was also a factor in him controlling proceedings. After Auger-Aliassime fended off a break point in the second game, he could not repeat the feat four games later.

It started with an extraordinary de Minaur chase down, where he barely reached an Auger-Aliassime volley on full stretch on the run before somehow guiding the ball past his rival at the net for a winner.

Shortly after, came an equally good de Minaur down-the-line backhand winner from outside the court to bring up back-to-back break points. He was soon 4-2 up after Auger-Aliassime – who was under constant pressure – dumped a forehand into the net.

The end was nigh once de Minaur swatted a forehand winner from inside the service box after making Auger-Aliassime hit a difficult volley. Auger-Aliassime left the court to receive treatment on his left hip, but that break in play only delayed de Minaur’s stampede.

He again reduced a wayward Auger-Aliassime to 0-40 in the seventh game, and needed just one of those break points to go 5-2 up before easily serving the match out, after which he raised both his arms in triumph.

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