Home / Sports / De Minaur weathers Vienna whirlwind for crucial R1 win
De Minaur weathers Vienna whirlwind for crucial R1 win
26 Oct
Summary
- Alex de Minaur staged a remarkable comeback against Tomas Machac.
- He secured a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory to advance in Vienna.
- This win marks his 18th ATP 500 match victory of 2026.
Alex de Minaur showcased impressive resilience at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna on Monday. Facing a challenging start, De Minaur found himself trailing Tomas Machac 6-1, 4-2, a score that threatened his chances for the Nitto ATP Finals.
However, the Australian staged a dramatic comeback, ultimately securing a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. This triumph marked his 18th ATP 500 match win of 2026, a Tour-leading figure. De Minaur acknowledged Machac's high level of play, stating that the conditions made it difficult to counter his powerful baseline game.
The turning point came when De Minaur converted his seventh break point in the second set, shifting the momentum. Despite dropping serve early in the decider, he reeled off five consecutive games to clinch the win. He will next face Learner Tien or Luca Van Assche.
Earlier in the day, Matteo Berrettini also advanced, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-4. Berrettini, a 2019 semi-finalist, is set to play either Flavio Cobolli or Grigor Dimitrov.
